Malaysia is embarking on a bold wave of healthcare reforms aimed at building a more resilient, equitable, and future-ready system, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said.
Speaking at the Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) annual banquet in conjunction with its 65th AGM here last night, Dzulkefly outlined several key pillars of the national healthcare reform agenda.
These include healthcare financing reform, the Rakan KKM initiative to enhance the ministry’s hospitals and clinics for all Malaysians, and the implementation of the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) payment system by mid-2026 to address runaway medical inflation.
He also said the revamped basic medical and health insurance/takaful (MHIT) is being introduced in collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia and industry players to provide better coverage to the M40 population.
A digitalisation programme has also been rolled out, with about 200 clinics now using the Cloud-Based Clinic Management System (CCMS).
“Close to 15 hospitals are adopting Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in 2025, with 16 hospitals to follow next year,” he said.
Dzulkefly highlighted challenges in retaining medical professionals, including an acute shortage, while confirming that the Cabinet has been briefed on the consultation fees for private general practitioners, and third-party administrator issues.
He also said the amendments to the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), specifically the Seventh Schedule, are under active discussion.
Previously, the media reported that the Seventh Schedule has never been amended since it was gazetted in 2006.
