The announcement of Budget 2026 has brought much-needed attention to Malaysia’s health care system, with an allocation of RM46.52 billion to strengthen public health services.
This increase of about 2.8 per cent from the previous year focuses on much-needed infrastructure upgrades, improved on-call allowances, and system reform, which are all timely and commendable.
However, while figures and facilities matter, it is the people behind the system who determine whether health care truly heals. Every national budget must ask a deeper question: how will these investments sustain compassion, morale, and trust within our hospitals and clinics, whether public or private?
We are proud of Malaysia’s dedicated health care workers — tireless dedicated professionals who continue to serve through fatigue, shortages, and relentless patient demands.
Yet many feel stretched thin, overburdened and stressed. The on-call allowance increase of up to 40 per cent is a positive step, but it only scratches the surface of a much larger issue: how to sustain energy and morale of the workforce while being empathic in a service system under heavy strain.
Already, there are questions about how this marked review of on-call pay would lead to astronomical improvements in productivity and quality — a demand for an immediate quid pro quo, distracting away from the issues of actual working conditions and unclear career prospects of health care professionals in national service.
A budget is not the definitive health strategy; it is a commitment to address current priorities. At this point, the system needs to reset to a new baseline in spending, acknowledging the actual costs incurred to maintain a safe work environment and a reasonable, compassionate human capital ecosystem that is effective in ensuring the welfare of the workforce that sustains the service.
Going forward, the focus will eventually be on implementing actual reform: addressing issues of the supply chain, strengthening the fiscal structure for sustainability, and future-proofing the system.
But this global focus must never sacrifice the welfare and rights of the very individuals who deliver the much needed care for the rakyat. A balanced health budget must always be sought every time, delicately toeing the line to ensure both fiscal responsibility and workers welfare are always treated fairly in a time where the populous view reigns supreme.
Budget 2026 reminds us that true health care investment must go beyond infrastructure; it must also empower the people who make healing possible.
Malaysia should lead with both excellence and empathy. The health care profession’s true strength lies not just in our knowledge, but in our compassion, for our patients, our colleagues, and our nation.
In an era of rapid change, the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia stands as the guardian of professionalism, the champion of training excellence, and the voice of integrity in Malaysian health care. Our specialists, doctors, nurses, and trainees are the backbone of our health system.
Strengthen them, and we strengthen the nation.
This statement was issued by Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (AMM) master Prof Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid.
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