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THE HEALTH | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER , 2021
| 12th Malaysia Plan |
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
THE COUNTRY and the whole world have been battling the dual crisis of health and the economic problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic , and it has shown the importance of having a robust healthcare sector .
As such , the much-awaited 12th Malaysia Plan ( 12MP ) gave an insight into Malaysia ’ s direction for the next five years , not just for the economic landscape but also for the nation ’ s healthcare system .
And after several delays , the 12MP ( 2021- 2025 ) was finally tabled on Sept 27 , 2021 , in the Dewan Rakyat by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob .
In his speech , Ismail Sabri said : “ The Government remains committed to strengthening the healthcare system to ensure the rakyat is healthy and productive .
“ In this regard , the government will review the effectiveness of the existing healthcare system , and a national health policy will be formulated to increase preparedness in handling infectious diseases and any future health crisis .”
Gaps in healthcare service delivery
The pandemic has put the world ’ s healthcare delivery systems to a severe test , and the 12MP has identified significant gaps in the nation ’ s healthcare delivery system .
Malaysia faces an increasing incidence of double burden diseases . Communicable diseases ( CDs ) such as dengue , tuberculosis ( TB ), polio and HIV are on the rise while malaria and measles have reemerged .
Apart from that , the increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases ( NCDs ) such as cardiovascular diseases , diabetes mellitus , cancer , mental illness and injury-related conditions continue to rise , leading to a high number of avoidable premature deaths among Malaysians .
In public hospitals and clinics , overcrowding and a long waiting time for treatment continue to affect the quality of service delivery .
The increase in the incidence of CDs and NCDs and the need to manage the Covid-19 pandemic , including the rollout of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme ( NIP ), has strained the national healthcare system .
The delivery of healthcare services was also affected by inadequate facilities and a mismatch of resources across different levels of healthcare services . And during the pandemic , this situation has gotten a lot worse , especially for non-Covid cases .
As revealed by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in September there were over 57,000 backlogged non-Covid procedures comprising surgical-based and medicalbased cases as of Sept 1 .
Furthermore , the inadequate number of health personnel , particularly specialists , disrupts services to rural and remote areas . There is also poor integration of health databases among the public healthcare institutions .
High hopes for healthcare
A blueprint for healthcare reform will be introduced as a new way forward for national healthcare system transformation
The 12MP ( 2021-2025 ) was finally tabled on Sept 27 , 2021 , in the Dewan Rakyat by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob .
According to the 12MP , revitalising the healthcare system is critical to ensure the people have equal access to quality healthcare services and for the nation to be well-prepared in meeting future health crises .”
Revitalising the healthcare system
According to the 12MP , revitalising the healthcare system is critical to ensure the people have equal access to quality healthcare services and for the nation to be well-prepared in meeting future health crises .
A blueprint for Malaysia Healthcare System Reform will be introduced as a new way forward for national healthcare system transformation . Several policies will be implemented to address particular health needs , such as oral healthcare , mental health , and vaccinations .
Efforts will be intensified to combat NCDs , focusing on cancer , cardiovascular diseases , diabetes mellitus and mental illness .
Various awareness programmes on a healthy lifestyle will be expanded to cover a wider population . The number of mobile health clinics will be increased , which will improve screening and diagnosis services for colorectal , oral , breast , and cervical cancers .
Cancer awareness programmes will also be held at more health clinics and hospitals , focusing on high-risk groups for early detection .
Meanwhile , prevention and intervention programmes will be intensified to combat CDs , especially during an outbreak or pandemic .
In addition , a more sustainable health financing model will be introduced , and healthcare services will be digitalised to accelerate delivery .
Resources and responsibilities will be consolidated and healthcare services be redesigned through collaboration between the public and private sectors .
The 12MP further states that lessons learned from the pandemic will revitalise healthcare services so that future health emergencies are better managed and prepared .
Ismail Sabri also disclosed that the National Vaccine Development Roadmap was being finalised to ensure Malaysia can produce its vaccine . The roadmap , he added , will also prepare the country to face any pandemic in the future .
To narrow the gap between urban and rural health facilities , he mentioned that the government would build and upgrade health clinics across the nation .
The strategies outlined in the 12MP hopes to improve healthcare quality at affordable prices and enhance healthcare preparedness in managing infectious diseases and health crises . — The Health