Putrajaya: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is targeting all 150 public hospitals and over 3,000 primary health facilities nationwide to be equipped with the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system by 2029. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced this comprehensive plan, outlining a phased implementation beginning next year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the EMR rollout will start with 16 hospitals in the initial phase, followed by 25 hospitals in 2027, 46 hospitals in 2028, and the remaining 49 hospitals by 2029. The implementation involves two main components: the Cloud-based Clinical Management System (CCMS) for health clinics and the Hospital Information System (HIS) for hospitals, aiming for a unified One Citizen, One Record system.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, speaking at the Jelajah Wira MADANI programme, noted that 160 health clinics have already been equipped with the CCMS, with plans to increase this number to 200 by the end of the year. By 2029, more than 3,000 primary healthcare facilities, including health clinics, maternal and child health clinics, community clinics, and rural clinics, are expected to operate using the system. He emphasized the importance of health clinics as the backbone of the country’s primary healthcare, underscoring the system’s role in enhancing service quality at the community level.

Addressing the issue of dilapidated clinics in Sabah, Dr Dzulkefly highlighted ongoing efforts to rebuild and upgrade these facilities, which began in 2018. He stated that RM76.28 million has been allocated to upgrade 154 health and rural clinics in Sabah over three years, starting in 2023. Approximately 70 percent of these facilities are nearing the completion of their upgrades, and the ministry aims to finish the work promptly, acknowledging the urgent need for replacement of many structures.