Workplace mental health policy in final stages, says Dzulkefly

The Health Ministry in Malaysia is finalising a workplace mental health policy following a report that found over 55,000 civil servants to be at high risk of mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad emphasised that the policy is being developed with cross-agency input to avoid a siloed approach.

Dzulkefly highlighted the urgency of addressing mental health, noting that depression among adults has doubled from 500,000 in 2019 to one million in 2023, according to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS). The policy-making process involves ongoing engagements with various ministries, including the Human Resources Ministry, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Malaysian Employers Federation, and Malaysian Trades Union Congress.

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