Latest news with #NationalHealthFund
Barnama
21-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Malaysia Poised To Become Major Healthcare Hub, Says MBSB IB
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is poised to become a major healthcare hub, driven by quality care, advancing technologies, and the growth of the hospitality sector, said MBSB Investment Bank Bhd (MBSB IB). In a note today, the bank said that the healthcare sector is undergoing a transition due to evolving national healthcare needs. 'Malaysia is progressing from a developing to a high-income nation, and its healthcare system is grappling with the complexities that accompany this shift. "The epidemiological transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases, coupled with an ageing population, reflects a maturing society that now faces diseases of affluence and lifestyle," it said. MBSB IB noted that challenges are no longer merely about basic access, which has largely been achieved in Peninsular Malaysia, but now concern quality, efficiency, equity, and sustainability amid rising costs and demand. Malaysia is not rigidly adhering to a single ideological model – whether fully public or private – but is instead adopting a pragmatic, dual-tier system with increasing public-private partnerships, it said. The bank said strong government support forms the backbone of the sector. 'The government's continued heavy subsidisation of public healthcare and its active pursuit of universal health coverage through various initiatives, such as PeKaB40, Skim Perubatan Madani, and the National Health Fund, demonstrate a firm commitment to ensuring that healthcare remains a right for all citizens, not merely a privilege. 'This is reflected in the Budget 2025's allocation of RM45.3 billion for the domestic healthcare sector. The willingness to address high out-of-pocket expenses also highlights a focus on financial risk protection for the population,' it said.
Focus Malaysia
21-07-2025
- Health
- Focus Malaysia
World-class healthcare at affordable prices draws foreign patients
MALAYSIA has strategically positioned itself as a leading healthcare destination on the global stage, attracting a growing number of international patients seeking high-quality, affordable medical care combined with a pleasant travel experience. 'The country's healthcare sector is also attractive for investments, underpinned by several key factors,' said MBSB in a recent report. Among them are the world-class quality medical care and advanced facilities, high accreditation and standards that ensures adherence to global benchmarks for patient safety and quality of care and the high-skilled professionals trained in leading institutions globally. Also, Malaysia has state-of-the-art technology allowing advanced treatments across various specialties, affordable and competitive pricing for treatments, often offering savings of over 50% for similar procedures to Western countries and regional counterparts. The healthcare sector also has regulated cost on certain procedures and services, transparent healthcare plans, easy accessibility and connectivity to medical facilities, and easy communication due to multilingual and multicultural medical staff. Malaysia as a global halal hub, promotes halal-certified medications and respect for patient modest, and it will benefit from the booming medical tourism, supported by upmost hospitality. However, the country is moving from a developing to a high-income nation, and its healthcare system is grappling with the complexities that come with this transition. The epidemiological shift from communicable to NCDs, coupled with an aging population, reflects a maturing society that now faces diseases of affluence and lifestyle. The challenges are no longer just about basic access (which has largely been achieved in Peninsular Malaysia), but about quality, efficiency, equity, and sustainability in the face of rising costs and demand. Malaysia is not adhering rigidly to one ideological model (fully public or fully private). Instead, it's embracing a pragmatic, dual-tier system with increasing public-private partnerships (PPPs). The government's continued heavy subsidization of public healthcare and the active pursuit of UHC through various initiatives (PeKaB40, SPM, National Health Fund exploration) demonstrate a fundamental commitment to ensuring that healthcare remains a right for all citizens, not just a privilege. This is evident by the Budget 2025's allocation of RM45.3b for the local healthcare sector. The willingness to address high OOP payments also directly signifies a focus on financial risk protection for its citizens. MoH's emphasis on digitalization, data analytics, and value-based healthcare also indicates a forward-looking approach, recognizing that technology and efficiency are critical for future sustainability. Beyond providing care for its citizens, Malaysia actively promotes itself as a leading healthcare destination. As of writing, Malaysia was announced as the number one destination for medical tourism, with over RM2 bil revenue generated per year on average from over 1.3 bil foreigners seeking medical help using local facilities and infrastructure for treatments and surgeries. This also demonstrates an understanding of healthcare's dual role as a social service and a significant contributor to the national economy, attracting foreign exchange and creating high-value jobs. The Global Halal Hub aspect further showcases a strategic niche marketing approach that caters to specific global demographics. All in all, Malaysia is in a critical phase of healthcare transformation. It has a strong foundation, a clear understanding of its complex challenges, and an ambitious roadmap for reform. The success of this journey will depend on its ability to effectively implement these strategic changes, foster collaboration between its public and private sectors, and sustain the political will to navigate the inherent difficulties of such comprehensive reforms, ultimately aiming for a truly equitable, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare system for all its people. We reiterate our positive call for the sector, backed by the strong drivers that will continue to feed the sector's growth in the near term. —July 21, 2025 Main image: Arab Watch Coalition
New Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Healthcare reforms, ageing population top MySPC agenda
PUTRAJAYA: Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar today reiterated the need for Malaysia's healthcare system to remain resilient and prepared for potential threats, while exploring innovative financing models through public-private partnerships. Speaking after the 8th Malaysian Social Protection Council (MySPC) meeting for 2025, Shamsul Azri said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised the importance of prioritising the healthcare workers' welfare alongside systemic reforms. "The transformation of the national healthcare system and the issues and challenges of an ageing population were the key topics discussed this morning. "The prime minister, who chaired today's meeting, stressed the necessity of reviewing fiscal positions regarding healthcare allocations," he said in a Facebook post. He shared statistics showing that the proportion of Malaysians aged 65 and above has reached seven per cent of the population, categorising the nation as an ageing nation. "The Madani government will therefore focus on health financing, social protection systems, and retirement ecosystems," he added. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, was reported as saying that the government was currently reviewing the need to restructure the existing healthcare financing system to make it more sustainable, inclusive and effective in the long term, as outlined in the Health White Paper. He emphasised effective governance, procurement, and multi-ministerial coordination, particularly between the Economy Ministry and Finance Ministry. Today's MySPC meeting, attended by six Cabinet ministers and senior civil servants, reviewed phased healthcare financing transformation plans and proposals for a National Health Fund. Discussions also covered the National Ageing Action Plan 2025-2045 presented by the Economy Ministry.
