Increased allocation necessary in 2018 Budget: Health Ministry

CYBERJAYA: The Health Ministry hopes the government will increase its allocation by 10 to 15% for the upcoming 2018 Budget, next month.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this is necessary given the steady rise of outpatients and in-house patients in government hospitals and clinics since 2015.
"There was approximately 20.26 million outpatients and 2.4 million admissions in government hospitals in 2015. The figure has since risen by steadily, last year and we expect it to increase this year as well.
"There is a high impact and reasonable cost factor that has to be taken into account.
"As such, the ministry would have to restrict medicine supply and focus on supplying medicines to places with high turnover (of patients) and optimise the medicine supply chain.
"We need an increase in our budget allocation as it only makes up 2.3% from the 4.6% total gross domestic product (GDP) for healthcare in the country. Private hospitals take up the remaining 2.2% of the GDP.
"The 4.6% is very minimal compared to other countries' allocation for healthcare," he told reporters during the Cyberjaya Hospital's groundbreaking ceremony, here, today.
A total of RM25 billion has been allocated for healthcare programmes under Budget 2017 with funds going towards the building of new hospitals and clinics in Perlis, Kuching, Mukah, Jempol, Muar, and Johor Baru.
While RM536 million was allocated for the upgrading of hospital facilities nationwide.
The Budget 2018 is expected to be tabled by the Prime Minister on October 27.