Kuala lumpur: The government will fully bear the cost of delivering medication to approximately 80,000 patients each month under the 'Ubat Melalui Pos' (UMP) programme, which is set to commence in July, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced. This initiative marks a significant collaboration between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), with an estimated annual cost of RM5.69 million to be fully funded by the Communications Ministry and MCMC.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fahmi emphasized that this move would ensure that patients eligible for the UMP programme would no longer need to cover the cost of medication delivery. "We hope that by this July, we can start this initiative in every state. So, the cost will no longer be borne by any party, especially the patients themselves. It will be fully borne by the government," he stated during a media conference following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the MOH and MCMC for the National Digital Health Ecosystem and Connectivity Catalyst (PERSADA) initiative.
Fahmi explained that the MOH would determine the eligibility of patients for the UMP programme, while Pos Malaysia, a licensee under MCMC, would manage the delivery services. The PERSADA initiative, with an estimated cost of RM650 million, aims to enhance the digitalisation of the country's healthcare system, with its implementation planned in two phases, starting with a RM74 million phase one investment.
Funding for PERSADA will be managed by the MCMC through the Universal Services Provision Fund (USP). Furthermore, Fahmi mentioned the strengthening of the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) as a hub for early health and telehealth screening, particularly in rural and remote areas with limited healthcare access.
Fahmi highlighted that the approach, which has been in place since 2023, will be expanded to facilitate early screenings, such as blood sugar and blood pressure checks, without requiring long-distance travel to hospitals or clinics. For instance, the NADI in Pulau Bum Bum, Semporna, Sabah, supports telehealth services by connecting residents with doctors and specialists from other locations.
According to Fahmi, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is being utilized in some NADI centres for basic health assessments, including retinal screening. "If internet access at clinics is limited, we will continue to use NADI as a base for screening and telehealth services," he added.