During COVID-19 Malaysia seems to have gone back on its commitments of providing healthcare for its citizens as the medical budget sees a cut of 20.5%. This cut goes across almost all healthcare services resulting in a 74% decrease for pharmacy and supplies.
While there is a slight increase of 4% (the lowest in years) in the budget for the Ministry of Health (RM31.9 billion in Budget 2021) medical budget has been reduced from RM14.2 billion in 2020 to RM11.3 billion in 2021. The concern here is an 11.7% decrease in public health budget.
The new budget seems to have sidelined any health service other than those directly related to COVID-19. Budgets for respiratory medicine and general medicine departments have been cut by 10.5% and 14.3% respectively.
Incidences of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are worsening due to the lack of access to health care services as it is and the cuts in public health will only worsen the situation. There are some public opinions that The diversion of funds to COVID-19 might do more harm than good.
“More than ever before, we need to protect the public healthcare system which provides high quality, accessible and affordable services. We cannot take it for granted,” Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO, Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy told The Malaysian Reserve.
Read the original article published here in The Malaysian Reserve.
Image Credits: Healthcare Asia Magazine
