Healthcare Reform Commission a possibility, says Dr Zaliha

The Health Ministry is considering the formation of a commission to reform Malaysia’s healthcare system, according to Dr Zaliha Mustafa. She stated that the ministry is engaging with experts from both within and outside the ministry to determine the best approach for establishing the Healthcare Reform Commission. Dr Zaliha made this statement during a session in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Oct 11). This is in response to a question by Datuk Dr. Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat) regarding the status of the Healthcare Reform Commission.

Ahmad Yunus also inquired about the progress of the ministry’s comprehensive pandemic plan in light of the potential threat of Disease X. Dr Zaliha confirmed that the plan is currently being developed and assured that the ministry will always be prepared to confront future pandemics.

In response to Tan Kok Wai’s (PH-Cheras) supplementary question about combatting the brain drain of medical specialists from government service, Dr Zaliha stated that the ministry is actively addressing this issue. She acknowledged that the wage gap between the private sector and government service may be a contributing factor. However, she assured that engagement and improvement of the public healthcare system are underway to maintain public interest in utilizing public healthcare facilities as opposed to private healthcare. Dr Zaliha emphasized the collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure optimal service for the people.

Furthermore, the ministry has been working to address several long-standing issues that were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. These issues include equipment and medication shortages, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), healthcare workforce shortage, capacity issues in healthcare facilities, and overall preparedness of the healthcare system. Dr Zaliha mentioned that a “Health in All Policies” approach and a whole-of-government strategy will be implemented in stages to align with the Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat (ANMS) initiative. This initiative aims to address the social determinants of health that are closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.

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The focus on social determinants of health refers to addressing non-medical factors that significantly impact health outcomes.

Credit: The Star : News Feed