While I understand the need for prudent spending in light of the global supply crisis, I caution that the attempt to cut up to RM 3.06 billion from the already overstretched health budget may have unintended consequences affecting not just operations in our health care facilities, but more importantly patient care.
Malaysia’s public health care system serves as a critical shield for the nation’s health of its people. But it’s already buckling under severe pressure and chronic shortages.
Such a directive from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) may have noble intentions, especially to have a prudent fiscal approach to optimise government resources.
But to expect to save up to RM3.06 billion from the Health Ministry from a total RM10 billion across the board, seems tone deaf and shows little understanding of the already over-stretched operations on the ground under the Ministry of Health.
That is a third of the savings among all ministries.
The concern is the cost it may have on patient care, which may show up as postponed surgeries, extended waiting times, shortages of medicines, crumbling hospital infrastructure, exhausted medical staff, preventable medical complications, and ultimately, deaths that could have been avoided.
Unfortunately, the most vulnerable will be low-income families, elderly citizens, those living with chronic illnesses, children, and communities living in rural areas, such as in Sabah and Sarawak.
Let’s not forget that more than 70 percent of Malaysians rely on this public system for their health care needs.
My concern is how this may exacerbate the current health workforce crisis facing the nation. For Sabah and Sarawak alone, we are lacking up to 6,000 medical doctors to properly serve our region.
The Health Ministry must never be seen as an easy target for savings. Health spending is not a cost to minimise; it is a core public investment. It safeguards lives, sustains productivity, underpins economic stability, and builds social trust.
That is why I urge MOF to reconsider these planned “recalibration of finances” in the Health Ministry.
Even if there is some form of savings, I hope the Ministry of Health will be transparent about where these savings will come from and show how it will not affect essential services to give confidence to the public and also boost the morale of our health workers.
The author is Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
