KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 – The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched a new website for the Health White Paper (HWP) to gather public feedback on its proposed health care reforms.
The public can provide input, suggestions, and feedback on the health care system on the HWP website, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced at the Central Zone Town Hall Session held at Hotel Zecon in Cheras yesterday.
The HWP website will serve as an additional platform for stakeholders and the public to obtain information about the plan, including basic information about the HWP, frequently asked questions about the plan, and the major challenges faced by the health care system.
When providing feedback on the HWP website through a Google Form, the public may choose to include their name, age range, gender, and whether they live in a city or rural area, along with their comments. However, providing this information is optional.
The website also includes information and communication materials, images and videos of HWP activities, and a list of committees involved in the development of the HWP. The HWP advisory committee is co-chaired by former Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam and Axiata Group chairman Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.
Dr Zaliha also announced that town hall sessions would continue in Sarawak, Sabah, the Northern Zone, the Southern Zone, and the East Coast Zone to further strengthen the efforts to promote the MOH’s reform initiatives toward a more sustainable health care system.
“The purpose of the town hall session was to share the insights gained from the HWP reform plan, listen to feedback from stakeholders, and garner support for the paper before it is presented to Parliament in June,” Dr Zaliha said in a statement yesterday on Facebook.
Although the health minister only recently launched the website and announced the town hall sessions to gather public feedback, both Dr Zaliha and the HWP website maintained that the HWP will be presented in Parliament in the upcoming parliament session.
Dr Zaliha said the HWP is a comprehensive proposal to revamp Malaysia’s health care system by identifying key challenges and limitations and presenting inclusive and responsive reform measures to address the population’s health care needs.
The HWP rests on four pillars, namely improving health care delivery, promoting health and preventing disease, ensuring equitable and sustainable financing, and strengthening the foundations and governance of the health care system.
Although not listed on the website, Dr Zaliha previously said that the HWP will likely feature a recommendation for the implementation of a national social health insurance programme.
The website included the creation of a Health Care Reform Commission as one of the strategies for strengthening the foundation of the health care system and its administration.
Click here to visit the Health White Paper website.
