Kuala lumpur: The 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) focuses on health reforms to enable the people to have equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare services towards achieving a decent standard of living.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the 13MP document released by the Ministry of Economy today outlines five health reform strategies for the implementation period from 2026 to 2030. These strategies include financing and governance reform, strengthening health promotion and security, and enhancing the health service delivery ecosystem.

The plan also highlights the importance of digitalisation in health information management and the security of medicines and medical devices. Strategies involve policies and integrated promotion programmes across sectors to create a health-savvy society, alongside improved health security to protect the people and the economy from health threats.

A grading system will be implemented through mandatory front-of-pack labelling to reduce sugar and salt content in food and beverage products. Additionally, a high-level policy coordination committee will be established to oversee the needs of the health workforce, while a national professional development framework is set to ensure a responsive human resource management system.

The health legislative framework will be streamlined, including the act related to organ and tissue transplantation, and a mental capacity bill will be drafted. More existing cluster hospitals will be integrated with health clinics to provide primary healthcare services, as per the 13MP document.

A digital platform for sharing health information will be created to enable health service providers across public and private sectors, institutions, and states to offer quality services. This includes the outsourcing of electronic medical record systems by all government health facilities.

The national pharmaceutical regulatory system will be enhanced, and the National Vaccine Production Development and Strengthening Fund Programme will be fortified to boost research, development, and talent in local vaccine production. A pharmaceutical product tracking and tracing system is also planned to ensure efficient and safe pharmaceutical logistics management.

The strategies are designed to achieve four targets by 2030. These goals include reducing the percentage of out-of-pocket expenditure from total health expenditure to 32%, decreasing primary health services expenditure to 32%, reducing the death rate from non-communicable diseases to 18%, and ensuring that 60% of the population has digital health records.

The achievements of the 12th Malaysia Plan saw the Malaysian Well-being Index rise to 112.6 in 2023. By mid-2025, cardiology services in public hospitals have been bolstered through 24 invasive cardiology laboratories. From 2021 to 2025, RM936.86 million was allocated for upgrading 2,215 dilapidated clinics, and RM11.95 billion was allocated for 255 hospital upgrading projects nationwide.

Healthcare services for the elderly have been enhanced through the integration of seven hospitals with 20 health clinics. As of June 2025, 2,485 out of 4,042 private clinics registered with the MADANI Medical Scheme continue to provide healthcare services to the underprivileged.

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim presented the 13th Malaysia Plan in the Dewan Rakyat, themed 'Redesigning Development', which includes an allocation of RM40 billion to implement health sector reforms over five years.