Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called on the government to raise public healthcare spending from 2.4 per cent to five per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Budget 2026, as a long-term investment in the nation's health system. Its president, Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, emphasized the importance of this increase in a recent statement.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MMA proposed removing the sugar subsidy and expanding the sugar tax on sugary drinks, with revenues designated for the Ministry of Health's (MOH) use. This initiative is aimed at reducing unhealthy consumption while directing more resources into healthcare improvements. Dr. Thirunavukarasu highlighted the urgent need to address shortages and retention issues in the public healthcare workforce for effective policy implementation.
The association acknowledged the government's move to abolish the contract doctor system and urged for the absorption of remaining contract doctors into permanent positions. Additionally, greater support for postgraduate training through master's and parallel pathways was recommended. The MMA also called for a review of the outdated on-call allowances for doctors and suggested establishing a national dashboard for better resource management.
Further, Dr Thirunavukarasu advocated for stronger prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through private clinic screenings, outsourcing health checks, and enhancing mental health support. The MMA proposed clearer food labelling, tax relief for healthy lifestyles, and an increase in the Madani Medical Scheme funding.
Digitalisation was recommended as a key aspect of healthcare reform, with suggestions to standardize patient ID stickers and enhance the MySejahtera app to map private general practitioners' clinics. Additionally, the MMA stressed the need to prepare for elderly care, projecting the cost to reach RM21 billion or 1.08 per cent of GDP by 2040. Investments in home care services, geriatricians, and age-friendly facilities were urged to keep seniors healthy in their communities.
Lastly, the MMA proposed incentives for private hospitals to lend diagnostic equipment after hours and formalize GP-health clinic-hospital cluster integration, building on successful past pandemic collaborations.