KUALA LUMPUR, August 30 – Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today announced the formation of an advisory council to develop the Health White Paper (HWP) for health care reform.
The 13-member Health White Paper Advisory Council, formally set up last August 10, will be co-chaired by former Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam and Axiata Group chairman Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, who was previously the managing director of sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad.
“The 13-member line-up of this advisory council was selected based on their wide expertise and experience, not just in the health sector, but also from the economic, academic, and social sectors,” Khairy said in a statement.
“The main role of the Health White Paper Advisory Council is to contribute ideas, recommendations, and advice to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in the process of developing the HWP.
“Therefore, their expertise and experience are important in ensuring that the HWP is holistic, comprehensive, and inclusive. Besides that, they will also play a role as MOH representatives in engagement sessions with stakeholders.”
Khairy added that the HWP will produce recommendations for reforms of health care service delivery, health care financing, as well as governance and organisation in phases over a period of 15 years.
Besides Dr Subramaniam and Shahril as co-chairs of the Health White Paper Advisory Council, the other 11 members are as follows:
- Dr Jemilah Mahmood (professor and executive director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Sunway University)
- Prof Norma Mansor (director of the Social Security Research Centre, Universiti Malaya)
- Dr Shahnaz Murad (former Health deputy director-general [research and technical support])
- Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman (infectious disease professor, Universiti Malaya)
- Prof Dr Syed Mohamed Al-Junid (professor and chair of the Department of Health Policy & Management, Kuwait University)
- Prof Dr Elil Renganathan (public health and policy professor, Sunway University)
- Prof Dr Teo Soo-Hwang (Cancer Research Malaysia chief scientific officer)
- Dr Koh Kar Chai (Malaysian Medical Association president)
- Dr Khor Swee Kheng (assistant professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore)
- Chong Mei Chan (associate professor at the faculty of medicine, Universiti Malaya)
- Dr Helmy Haja Mydin (medical specialist at Pantai Hospital and chief executive officer of the Social & Economic Research Initiative)
Khairy previously said that he intends to table the HWP in Parliament at the end of the year.
With the tabling of Budget 2023 pushed up by three weeks to October 7, however, there is wide speculation that the 15th general election may be held soon after.
