TANGIBLE reforms to the healthcare system will take first priority, newly installed Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said. 

Muruga Raj, who holds a law degree and a Masters in Business Administration, currently practices medicine as a private GP in Kempas, Johor Baru. 

He started serving his one-year term as MMA president on September 11. 

He told The Malaysian Insight that healthcare reforms should be the nation’s top priority given the large reliance on it by the public. 

“It should be noted that a significant percentage of our population relies heavily on public healthcare for their care needs,” Muruga Raj said. 

“With the demand for healthcare services increasing, there is a need for expansion and better distribution of services nationwide.” 

Another important consideration for the reforms is the fact that Malaysia would reach ageing nation status in the next decade. 

“In the space of 10 years, Malaysia will reach ageing nation status where 15% of our population will be 60 years or older,” he said. 

In line with an ageing society, there would be an increase in non-communicable diseases among the population, Muruga Raj added.

According to him, the biggest concerns were type 2 diabetes and cancer, which had taken a backseat in the last three years as Malaysians focused on combating the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“It is a worrying trend that most cases are being detected late as a high percentage of Malaysians do not go for regular medical check-ups,” he said. 

“This will need to be addressed through more efforts to educate the population on the importance of scheduled medical check-ups and adopting a healthy lifestyle. 

“I am also concerned about the rise in mental illness particularly among our youths and older persons, especially those living alone. 

“This will also be an area that me and my team will be looking into during my term.” 

More government funding needed

In order to build new facilities, upgrade existing ones, and increase manpower, extra funds would be needed. 

To this end, the MMA requested that the healthcare budget be increased by 5% in Budget 2023, which would be tabled next Friday.

In Budget 2022, the government had allocated RM32.4 billion to the health ministry for operating and development expenditure. 

“Many of our public healthcare facilities are aging and therefore funds will be needed for proper maintenance and upgrades,” Muruga Raj said. 

“The system will also need to be updated regularly as we transition towards adopting more digital technology for increased efficiency and convenience for both the public and healthcare staff.”

The number of doctors, nurses, specialists, and support staff at healthcare facilities must also be increased to ensure comprehensive care, he added.

“We will work with MOH and the Public Service Department (JPA) to find ways to increase manpower in our public healthcare system.

“Apart from that, we need to look into the distribution of healthcare services, identify states and their facilities in need of support, and work on a solution together.”

Gaps in healthcare, especially in different states, must also be identified, he said. 

“I think we should study the healthcare needs of each state.

“At present, some specialist services are not available in some states while in the deep interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, there are limited healthcare services. 

“This needs to be addressed to truly reflect universal health coverage that ensures that no one will be left behind.” – September 27, 2022.