Selangor Journal
The Selangor government has allocated RM56.5 million for public health in its 2021 budget. — File Picture SELANGORKINI

Focus on public health in Selangor Budget, state allocates RM56.5 mln

By Alang Bendahara

SHAH ALAM, Oct 30 — The 2021 Selangor Budget has allocated RM56.5 million for public health, which is an increase of 23 per cent compared to the previous budget with an RM46 million allocation.

Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari in the tabling of the state budget at the State Legislative Assembly here today, said the increase was due to domestic and global challenges, which includes the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This is a testament of the state government’s commitment to strengthen public health service and form a healthy and prosperous Selangor,” he said.

Amirudin said RM1.5 million is allocated for activities and promotion to create awareness on three main risks of cardiovascular disease, namely diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

He said an RM1 million will also be allocated to the 2021 Tuberculosis Treatment Incentive Programme.

“The ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach should be a priority in the state’s public health campaigns.

“Therefore, we hope the local authorities would also join in the efforts by expanding the role of its Health Units into Public Health Units that would not only focus on conducting health checks at premises but also to organise programmes that are in the form of intervention and preventive,” he said.

In view of the continued danger from dengue, Amirudin said RM5 million is allotted for activities to control and curb the epidemic which has killed 34 people in 2020.

Public health is one of the five main thrusts in the 2021 Selangor Budget aside from agriculture, tourism and agrotourism, and urban liveability.

The Selangor government has allocated a total expenditure of RM2.323 billion for the state budget, which comprises of five main strategies.

The strategies include Selangor Digitalisation Agenda; Peaceful Selangor, Prosperous Ummah; Driving Value Creation and Developing Human Resource; Strengthen Sustainable Environment, Resources, and Food Security and Supply Chain; Revitalising Economic Recovery and Development of Industries.

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