JOHOR BARU, May 3 — The government will introduce a voluntary health insurance scheme in the middle of next year as part of its efforts to provide an alternative health care services to the people.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the structure of the insurance scheme had been approved by the Cabinet and currently 40 per cent completed.

"It will be operated by non-profit organisations under the ministry purview,” he told reporters after officiating the National Conference of Medical Assistant (CMA) 2017 here yesterday.

Present at the opening were the Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Dr Subramaniam said the scheme hoped to help to control the high cost of private medical treatment.

According to him, the government would look into all aspects including cost, coverage and better products offered by the private sector. — Bernama