Kuala Lumpur:The Health Ministry anticipates that the acquisition of 400 new ambulances under Budget 2027 will enhance emergency response services, addressing the current shortfall in meeting the national target for critical Priority 1 emergencies in 2025.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad reported that the response rate for these emergencies stood at 34.01 percent in 2025, falling short of the 50 percent key performance indicator (KPI) target for ambulances to arrive within 15 minutes. Efforts are being made to analyze performance and identify improvement areas, with the matter being closely monitored by the Minister and the Health director-general.
The ministry is also working on strengthening the Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 system and monitoring patient transfer performance through specific indicators, such as ambulance activation time. This was discussed during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat in response to concerns raised by Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu) about ambulance shortages and delays in his constituency.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of over RM770 million in Budget 2027 to expedite diagnosis and treatment at healthcare facilities, which includes the procurement of medical equipment and the new ambulances.
Dr Dzulkefly also mentioned that paramedics receive real-time guidance from emergency medicine specialists to improve emergency care effectiveness. To address access disparities between urban and rural healthcare, the ministry is implementing the cluster hospital concept, allowing resource and expertise sharing among hospitals. Forty-three hospital clusters have been established, enabling major hospitals to support less-equipped facilities.
Furthermore, the ministry is extending selected clinical services to rural clinics and hospitals, focusing on chronic disease management and continuity of care. Access to surgery in rural areas is being improved through the global surgery initiative, which allows specialists to perform procedures at hospitals without specialist services.