KJ sets long-term goals if made health minister again

 

Khairy Jamaluddin says his big dream for the health ministry is to enhance primary healthcare and make sure that hospitals are well equipped.

KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin is keeping his hopes up of returning to the health ministry after the general election, so as to deal with unfinished business in long-term health policy.

Khairy, who was appointed health minister in Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet in August 2021, said his main priority then was to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now he wants to focus more on solving long-term matters if appointed as health minister in the new government.

That can only come about after he secures election as MP for Sungai Buloh, where he faces rivals from four parties and two independents.

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In an interview with FMT, Khairy said his long-term plans for the health ministry included making sure there are enough doctors or specialists for the future.

“This needs to get done so that there are more permanent positions for contract doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals,” he said.

Last year, a group of contract doctors held a nationwide protest demanding a fair career path and the same benefits as medical officers in permanent positions.

Khairy also said he had to tie up some loose ends in a health white paper which was drafted by Ismail’s government.

The health white paper aims to tackle Malaysia’s healthcare issues systematically by addressing the imbalance in resource allocation, organisation and policy focus between public, primary and secondary care.

“This is my big dream of enhancing primary healthcare and making sure that hospitals are well equipped.

“We also need to have preventive strategies in place and table the Generational End Game bill in Parliament to protect the future generation from smoking.”

The bill will prohibit those born after 2007 from smoking tobacco products or tobacco replacement products, as well as using smoking gadgets.

Khairy hoped that Ismail would be re-elected as prime minister, affording Khairy the opportunity to return as health minister.

“This is so that I can put things in place and set the right course for the future of healthcare in Malaysia.”

In October, Ismail said Khairy would be retained as the health minister, pointing out that it would be “a loss” if the latter was no longer at the helm of the ministry. - FMT