Health Ministry drafting national registry for persons with disabilities to improve service planning

The Ministry of Health in Malaysia is working on initiating discussions for a national registry for persons with disabilities (PWD) as part of the MOH PWD Strategic Plan. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that a proposal for the national-level PWD Registry (OKU Registry) is being prepared, which will include data and needs profiles of the cerebral palsy (CP) community.

The development of this registry aims to ensure that the voices of those with disabilities are heard and translated into structured action for service planning. Dzulkefly highlighted the significance of approaches such as the CP Living Library, which combines clinical knowledge with personal experiences to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with CP.

Currently, 1,076 children with CP have been registered and received early intervention services at health clinics nationwide between 2016 and 2025. The strategic plan is still in its early stages, but it is crucial to continue addressing the needs of individuals with CP throughout their lives. Dzulkefly emphasized that CP requires continuous support during adolescence and adulthood, as individuals transition into different stages of life.

The challenge lies in ensuring that those with CP are not excluded from the support system after leaving school and that they have access to an ecosystem that enables them to lead a normal, dignified, and inclusive life. The process of developing the PWD Registry will be implemented continuously through an approach of ongoing improvement, with data collection starting in an organized and structured manner to ensure high-quality data for effective service planning.