Health Services in Malaysia

Health Services in Malaysia

• Malaysia's healthcare system is a mix of public and private sectors
• Funding comes from local taxes and government revenue
• Public health services are overseen by the Ministry of Health (MOH)
• Private health care is managed by insurance companies or individuals, with several types of providers
• The National Health insurance Scheme (NHMS) covers hospital admissions for 74% of the population but outpatient contacts only cover 49%
• In 2021, the total MOH allocation was RM31,941,504,300, with operating expenses at RM27,223,685,300, and development costs at RM4,717,819,000. This was 10.39% of the National Budget.

Current Healthcare System

• Local authorities manage environmental health, licensing, building inspection, sanitation, vector control, and food quality control
• MOH handles communicable disease control, and international health
• Various other ministries and departments also have roles

Healthcare Facilities

• Government (MOH):
  • (as of December 31, 2020): 146 hospitals
  • Official hospital beds: 38,543 + 5,574
  • 1,138 health clinics (includes maternal and child health clinics)
  • 1,752 rural clinics (Klinik Desa)
  • 229 mobile health clinics
  • 5 flying doctor services (helicopters), 11 teams,
• Government (Non-MOH): -2021: 10 hospitals (5 army, 5 university), 4,188 beds
• Private:
  • 202 private hospitals (17,155 beds), mostly in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur
  • 21 (maternity and nursing homes), 48+ 821 beds
  • 3 hospices
  • 543 Haemodialysis centers
  • 8,222 registered medical clinics
  • 2,798 registered dental clinics Dental Clinics – various types and locations (standalone, hospitals, schools etc.)

Current Population

• Total Population – Approximately 32.7 Million

• Annual Growth Rate - around 0.2%

• Different Age groups, Ethnicities and Sex ratios

• Malaysian citizen percentage 92.6% - 91.7%

• Non-citizens - 7.4% to 8.3%

• Population aged 60 and over increasing each year

• Population by sex - the male-female ratio is approximately 109 males to 100 females.

• Population split into percentage of age groups

• Population split by ethnic groups and percentages

Vital Statistics

• Live births: 439,744 (2021)
• Male babies: 226,896
• Female babies: 212,848
• Average live births per day: 1,205
• Total fertility rate - 1.7 babies per woman
• Mean age of mother at first live birth - 27.9 years.

Deaths

• Deaths: 224,569 (2021)
• Male deaths: 127,824
• Female deaths: 96,745
• Stillbirth rate – 50 stillbirths per 10,000 births
• Maternal mortality rate - 68.2 Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
• Infant mortality rate
• Child mortality rates

Life Expectancy

• Life Expectancy (2020):
  • Total: 75.1 years
  • Male: 72.8 years
  • Female: 77.8 years

MOH History

• Early hospitals were built to address the needs of tin mine workers.
• Perak state had the most hospitals by the end of the 19th century.
• Taiping Hospital was a significant early hospital, notable for having X-ray facilities.
• The 1900s (British era) saw the establishment of the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) to combat infectious diseases like malaria, dengue, and tuberculosis.
• The post-independence period (1957 onwards) focused on expanding and improving healthcare services, particularly in rural areas.

Current Issues

• System revamp (financing)
• Paperless hospitals
• Accreditation of health facilities (accessibility)
• Integration of traditional and complementary medicine
• Harm reduction programs

Explore the intricacies of Malaysia's healthcare system, which comprises both public and private sectors. Understand the roles of the Ministry of Health, funding sources, and the impact of the National Health Insurance Scheme on the population's access to healthcare services.