Health minister: Mission is to transform healthcare within 15th Parliament timeframe

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 29 — Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad is committed to transforming the national healthcare system within the 15th parliamentary term, with a focus on modernisation and enhanced patient service delivery. The Ministry of Health, as a facility-based and service-based entity, faces numerous challenges in ensuring efficient healthcare delivery and meeting the needs of the public.

Addressing these challenges, the MOH is prioritising digitalisation and interoperability across health systems, as well as moving healthcare delivery closer to the community to reduce dependence on hospitals for minor matters. The Minister highlighted the Financing for the Medicine-by-Post Initiative (UMP) as an example of their efforts to improve patient experience by allowing them to receive follow-up medication without visiting a healthcare facility.

The Ministry of Health has previously implemented various pharmacy initiatives, such as Drive-Through Pharmacy, Locker4U, Local Follow-Up Medicine Supply Centre, UMP, and the MyUbat app, to ease the management of follow-up supplies and reduce congestion at hospitals.