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Blueprint planned for healthcare system reform

A study will be done to strengthen the healthcare sector including public healthcare sector transformation, private healthcare sector regulatory reform and sustainable health financing.

Bernama
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Health workers wearing personal protective equipment tend to a Covid-19 patient at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang. Photo: Bernama
Health workers wearing personal protective equipment tend to a Covid-19 patient at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang. Photo: Bernama

A blueprint for healthcare system reform will be introduced as a new way forward for national healthcare transformation, according to the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025) document released by the Economic Planning Unit today.

In designing this blueprint, it said a study will be undertaken to strengthen the healthcare sector including public healthcare sector transformation, private healthcare sector regulatory reform and sustainable health financing.

The plan and study are part of efforts to introduce a healthcare policy under the strategy for redesigning the healthcare service to enhance healthcare service delivery which is one of the priorities of the 12MP tabled at the Dewan Rakyat today.

The document said several policies targeting specific health needs will be introduced such as oral healthcare, mental health and immunisation policies while food safety policies will be reviewed to protect the public against health hazards and fraud in the food supply chain including in the preparation, sale and use of food.

Five other measures under the strategy to redesign the healthcare service are combatting communicable diseases, combatting non-communicable diseases, strengthening healthcare programmes for older persons, increasing preparedness in handling health crises and ensuring the quality and accessibility of healthcare services.

According to the document, the other two strategies in enhancing healthcare service delivery are strengthening health financing and public awareness as well as leveraging technology.

To strengthen the health financing and public awareness strategy, financial sustainability for healthcare will be ensured, health protection will be strengthened and health literacy, as well as awareness, will be enhanced.

“Social media platforms will be leveraged to invigorate health literacy and counter misleading information that exacerbates health issues,” it said.

The third strategy to enhance healthcare service delivery is leveraging technology through digitalising healthcare services and improving research, development and innovation capacity.