{
  "id": 9638538,
  "title": "Healthcare bodies need more funding, says association",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/healthcare-bodies-need-more-funding-says-association",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-24T22:00:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1540533/healthcare-bodies-need-more-funding-says-association"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "MELAKA: The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has called for increased funding for three pivotal healthcare organizations, warning that inadequate financial support could undermine oversight and standards. The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), and Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) are crucial to the healthcare system, yet they struggle with funding constraints. The MMC oversees medical practitioners and enforces professional standards, the MHTC promotes medical tourism, and the MSQH manages hospital accreditation, quality enhancement, and patient safety in both public and private facilities. The APHM stated that the councils' funding has not been adequately increased, and the MSQH continues to function without direct government assistance. Without sufficient backing, the organizations' capacity to uphold stringent standards, enforce governance, and improve healthcare delivery will be severely limited. The APHM emphasized that the expanding medical tourism sector, which contributes to national revenue, highlights the need to reinvest in regulation, accreditation, and quality assurance to ensure long-term growth. The association expressed readiness to collaborate with the Health Ministry and other stakeholders to secure the necessary support, arguing that bolstering these institutions would enhance Malaysia's reputation as a dependable healthcare system.",
  "summary": "Your browser does not support the audio element.",
  "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."
}