logo
Johor govt working with Health Ministry to improve public health facilities, workers' welfare

Johor govt working with Health Ministry to improve public health facilities, workers' welfare

The Stara day ago
JOHOR BARU: The state government is working closely with the Health Ministry to improve public health facilities and the welfare of healthcare workers, says Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
The Johor Mentri Besar said this included the establishment of a special task force to oversee improvements in the management and operations of healthcare facilities statewide, including new hospitals.
'To ensure that all plans proceed smoothly, a special task force will be established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of short, medium and long-term plans.
'Johor and the Ministry remain committed to ensuring the people receive fair, efficient and quality healthcare, while also safeguarding the welfare of our frontliners who are the backbone of our healthcare system,' he said in a Facebook post.
Onn Hafiz said this came following his recent meeting with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, where they discussed efforts to strengthen the management, infrastructure and facilities of major hospitals in Johor.
'The meeting focused on efforts to improve the operations of three main hospitals in Johor, namely Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA), Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) and Kulai Hospital.
'As a short-term solution, all parties agreed on the urgent need to fill critical vacancies, upgrade infrastructure and improve facilities at the existing hospitals.
'The discussion also led to an agreement that Pasir Gudang Hospital and Cendana Health Clinic should be reinforced with additional manpower and equipment ahead of their expected opening early next year,' he added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Health Ministry, Google explore AI to enhance healthcare system
Health Ministry, Google explore AI to enhance healthcare system

New Straits Times

time2 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Health Ministry, Google explore AI to enhance healthcare system

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry and Google are exploring a new partnership on using artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle some of Malaysia's most pressing health challenges. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad described the initiative as a potential game-changer. "It is still in its early days, but we are very enthusiastic about this partnership to improve the lives of all Malaysians," he said, adding that both parties share a common aspiration to use AI to improve health outcomes at scale. This was during the minister's keynote speech at the Precision Public Health Asia 2025 Conference in Petaling Jaya today. Dzulkefly said that the vision is to innovate and deliver real health value, positioning Malaysia as a regional leader in healthcare transformation. The minister said the transformative potential of data and personalisation in healthcare, pointing out how major tech firms have already mastered personalised engagement. "But what if we use the same tools to nudge healthier behaviours adapted to the right host, for the right individuals?" he asked. Dzulkefly also said that embracing AI is no longer a luxury but a necessity due to global economic turbulence, high budgets, and widening health disparities. To that end, he said the ministry is actively pushing the precision public health agenda, revealing that the cloud-based clinical management system (CCMS) is now in use at 156 clinics nationwide, and that 70 per cent of patients are seen within 30 minutes. The ministry is also pushing ahead with electronic medical records (EMR) reform. "Today, five million Malaysians can access their prescriptions, three million have their screening records available, one million have their dental records on file, and more than 20 million can view their vaccination history," he said. During the press conference, Digital Health Division director Dr Mahesh Apannan said the cooperation with partners such as Google reflects a commitment to harnessing existing capacities and capabilities. Mahesh said, with Google, the ministry aims to leverage their expertise and capabilities to enhance its own capacity. He added that the shift towards cloud-based systems has allowed the ministry to integrate existing algorithms into its system.

Dzulkefly: Staffing, facilities key focus of Johor healthcare action plan
Dzulkefly: Staffing, facilities key focus of Johor healthcare action plan

New Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Dzulkefly: Staffing, facilities key focus of Johor healthcare action plan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry and the Johor government have reached a consensus on addressing healthcare issues in the state, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. "First is the improvement of the state's public healthcare system. That is our commitment, in terms of facilities and such. "Second is the need to examine human resources. This is where we directly look at the metrics and the norms. What is truly essential for a state and its facilities," he said. Dzulkefly was speaking to the press during the Precision Public Health Asia 2025 Conference in Petaling Jaya today. He added that the third and fourth focuses were on enhancing capacity and preparing new healthcare facilities nearing completion. As an example, he highlighted the staffing of the soon-to-open Pasir Gudang Hospital as a key concern. "We want that matter to be studied more granularly, in more detail, so that we can begin operations at a more reasonable level, say, at 50 per cent. We're taking that as a necessity," he said. He said that implementing solutions would require strengthened cooperation between state and federal bodies and confirmed that follow-up action had already begun. "This is why we are moving immediately. I have mobilised those responsible, together with the Johor government, so that we can follow up on this matter more swiftly," Dzulkefly said. Yesterday, Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the federal and Johor governments had agreed to establish a joint task force to tackle the worsening shortage of healthcare workers in the state's public hospitals. Ling added that the newly proposed task force would comprise senior officials from the Health Ministry and the state government. This was after Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said Dr Dzulkefly met Onn Hafiz to discuss the critical shortage of healthcare workers reported in the state. Shamsul said he had also discussed the issue with Onn Hafiz on the sidelines of the Menteri Besar and Chief Ministers' meeting, chaired by the prime minister in Putrajaya on Monday.

Rakan KKM will not burden healthcare workers, says Dzulkefly
Rakan KKM will not burden healthcare workers, says Dzulkefly

New Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Rakan KKM will not burden healthcare workers, says Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has assured that the newly announced Rakan KKM initiative will not impose additional burdens on medical officers, specialists or nurses. "This matter has actually already been addressed," he said, adding that prior to the launch, the ministry conducted several engagement sessions, including town halls and staff surveys. Dzulkefly was speaking to the press during the Precision Public Health Asia 2025 Conference in Petaling Jaya today. "It was clear that they do have time to do locum work in private hospitals," he said. Dzulkefly clarified that participation is entirely voluntary and that those without time are not part of the target group. He added that Rakan KKM is aimed at critical healthcare specialists who the ministry is seeking to retain through extra remuneration and other incentives. The minister also urged the media to refrain from speculating about the programme's operational details, adding that a briefing on the matter will be held in the near future. Yesterday, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira urged the Health Ministry to clarify the structure and operations of the newly announced Rakan KKM initiative. Kalwinder said key questions remained over its governance, scope, financing model and staffing. The programme is set to offer 'premium economy' services at selected public hospitals for elective outpatient, day care and inpatient services, including personalised care, specialist choice and enhanced privacy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store