KUALA SELANGOR, Sept 29 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is hoping for a bigger allocation in Budget 2020 to address the shortage of staff, equipment and facilities, it has been facing for a long time.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said MOH had submitted requests regarding the matter to the Finance Ministry for consideration in planning next year’s budget.

He added that while there had been positive reaction to the requests, the ministry had not been getting enough allocation and was facing ‘understaffed’ and "overworked’ issues for a long time and its problems had also been acknowledged by the Auditor-General in his report.

"Therefore, MOH hopes that in next year’s budget, we will be given a bigger allocation to address issues related to facilities, equipment and staff so that we can better serve the people,” he told reporters at the Kuala Selangor District Healthcare Award presentation ceremony, here today.

Also present at the event were Bukit Melawati state assemblyman Juwairiya Zulkifli and Selangor health director Datuk Dr Khalid Ibrahim.

Dr Dzulkefly who is also the Kuala Selangor Member of Parliament, is currently in the process of working closely with the Finance Ministry to update the final list of requests submitted for consideration in the forthcoming budget.

"The ministry is hopeful that more funding will be channeled to it. As I have emphasised, the health sector besides the education sector, should be given priority. The allocation to the health sector should be in line with the country’s position as an upper-middle income economy,” he said. — Bernama