KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — A total RM25 billion have been allocated by the government in the 2017 Budget to boost the health of the people and the quality of healthcare in the country.
Prime Minister Seri Najib Tun Razak said the allocation for the Health Ministry was for numerous programmes, including building and upgrading of new hospitals and clinics in Perlis, Kuching, Mukah, Jempol, Muar and Johor Bahru.
“A total RM536 million has been allocated for upgrading of hospital facilities.
“This includes provision of cardiology treatment equipment for Serdang Hospital, Penang Hospital and Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru and the purchase of 100 ambulances,” he said when tabling the 2017 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat here today.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said RM4.5 billion was also allocated for the operations of 340 1Malaysia Clinics, 11 1Malaysia Mobile Clinics, 959 health clinics and more than 1,800 rural clinics.
The total allocation also included RM4 billion for supply of drugs, consumables, vaccines and reagents to all government hospitals and facilities.
To reduce over-crowding in public hospitals, he said, the government would cooperate with the private sector or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to operate non-profit charitable hospitals based on government hospital rates according to hospital cost rates.
A total of RM20 million is allocated in the form of loans for the purchase of hospital equipment, he added.
Najib said the government would also allocate RM110 million, including RM70 million for medical assistance which would benefit nearly 10,000 underprivileged patients.
To encourage the establishment of more private haemodialysis centres, he said, the government would provide one-off grants worth RM200,000 for purchase of equipment, involving a total allocation of RM40 million.
He said the government was also allocating RM80 million for the National Community Health Empowerment Programme as well as implement initiatives to prevent and control contagious diseases such as dengue and Zika. — Bernama
