{
  "id": 9477745,
  "title": "Fund our healthcare bodies before standards slip, private hospitals tell govt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/fund-our-healthcare-bodies-before-standards-slip-private-hospitals",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-24T02:59:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1539891/fund-our-healthcare-bodies-standards-slip-private-hospitals-tell-govt"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR - The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has implored the government to promptly assess and boost funding for three vital healthcare organizations, cautioning that prolonged underinvestment risks compromising oversight and standards. APHM's president, Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, highlighted that the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), and Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) are essential to Malaysia's healthcare infrastructure, but they are grappling with funding constraints. The MMC regulates medical practitioners and maintains professional standards; the MHTC promotes medical tourism; and the MSQH manages hospital accreditation, quality improvement, and patient safety in both public and private settings. APHM asserted that while MMC and MHTC funding has been inadequate, MSQH continues to function without direct government backing. Without adequate assistance, the entities' capacity to uphold stringent standards, enforce governance, and consistently enhance care delivery would be markedly hampered, according to the statement. The group emphasized that the flourishing medical tourism sector, a reliable source of national income, substantiated the necessity for reinvesting in regulation, accreditation, and quality assurance to ensure enduring expansion. APHM pledged readiness to collaborate with the Health Ministry and other stakeholders to guarantee the three bodies receive the essential support, asserting that bolstering them would bolster Malaysia's reputation as a dependable healthcare system.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has urged the government to urgently review and increase funding for three critical healthcare bodies, warning that sustained underinvestment could weaken oversight and standards.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}