The Malaysian Insight

THE Health Ministry has misled Malaysians in its parliamentary answer by claiming that last year’s allocation for healthcare has surpassed 7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), said a DAP lawmaker.

Klang MP Charles Santiago said there was a big difference between national budgets and GDP and the Ministry had rightly pointed out in “Malaysia National Health Accounts: Health Expenditure Report 1997-2024” that health spending as a share of GDP between 1998 and 2014 ranged from 2.9% to 4.49%.

“Therefore, the ministry’s reply that the government had allocated RM24.8 billion, amounting to 9.5% of 2017 budget is rather shocking. And since they are feigning ignorance, the ministry’s claim that it had not only met the 7% recommendation but surpassed it, is deceptive.

“The answer is also misleading and should be considered contempt of Parliament as the total healthcare expenditure at the time stands at only 4.4%. 7% of the 2016 GDP would amount to RM47.5 billion and not RM27 billion as allocated in the 2017 budget,” he said in a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

He also urged the government to increase the allocation on par with international recommendations to ensure all Malaysians have adequate and comprehensive medical treatment.

“Malaysia’s increasing population is an aging society, the economic slowdown including high number of patients moving from the public to the private sector. It means there are more patients at government hospitals and clinics.

“As such, there would be a shortage for reagents, supplies and consumables, affecting patient care and treatment.

“Manipulation of statistics therefore does not help Malaysian patients who are suffering from chronic diseases and desperately need government assistance,” he said.

The Health Ministry’s allocation under Budget 2018 is RM26.58 billion, which is 9.5% or RM1.7 billion more than what it received in the 2017 budget. – November 6, 2017.