Kuala lumpur: The government should review spending in less critical sectors if fiscal adjustments are to be implemented without compromising essential services such as healthcare, following proposed RM3.06 billion budget cuts to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) president Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin emphasized that the public health sector is an essential service that must continue to be protected, as any reduction, even if labeled non-critical, could affect operational efficiency and the overall quality of healthcare services. 'Public health should not be treated as an easy target for fiscal savings. It is a strategic national investment, and failure to protect it will have far greater implications for the people and the country,' he stated in a recent statement.
Ahmad Fahmi highlighted that the public health system is currently under pressure, citing overcrowded facilities, an increase in non-communicable diseases, and a shortage of manpower, alongside concerns over the welfare of health workers. He pointed out that the growing issues of fatigue, workload, and the migration of skilled workers suggest that any reduction in health allocations could further worsen the situation. 'Cutting allocations in this situation will only increase pressure and further weaken an already fragile system,' he remarked.
Transparency, Ahmad Fahmi stressed, is crucial for allowing the government to provide detailed explanations on the scope of the cuts, the implementation timeline, and mitigation measures to ensure health services remain unaffected. He also urged the MOH to devise a more aggressive and proactive intervention plan to tackle current challenges effectively.
Looking at the medium and long term, Ahmad Fahmi advised that the government should speed up the implementation of health system reforms as outlined in the Health White Paper. These reforms should include strengthening strategic collaboration with the private sector to optimize capacity and reduce pressure on the public healthcare system. 'Without clear and bold reform measures, the country's health system will continue to be vulnerable to recurring crises,' he warned.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad reassured on April 30 that the government's adjustment to operating expenditure would not affect essential healthcare services, including treatment, emergency care, and the supply of medicines. He clarified that discussions involved only proposed adjustments to operating expenditure and not finalized cuts, while also assuring that basic health services, patient treatment, emergency care, and medicine supplies would remain unaffected.