By Ida Nadirah Ibrahim
SHAH ALAM, March 13 — The state government’s move to increase public health funding in its 2023 Selangor Budget is in line with the recommendation by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Alhaj said that the recommendation by the global organisation states that allocation for health should be between 5 to 6 per cent of the total budget.
In the RM2.45 billion 2023 state budget, the Selangor government allocated RM65.6 million to strengthen the public health agenda in the state, which is a RM600,000 increase from the RM65 million allocation in 2022.
“I welcome the state government’s announcement in allocating a total of RM65.6 million to the public health sector for the year 2023 as this is in line with the WHO recommendation.
“Health is one of the aspects of people’s lives that has my attention and given priority. The recent opening of new public hospitals is expected to reduce congestion and give the people the opportunity to get the best treatment,” he said when delivering his royal address during the opening of the first meeting of the sixth term of the 14th Selangor Legislative Assembly sitting, here today.
The Selangor Ruler said among the public health initiatives that struck his attention is the Selangor Saring programme, which offers free health screenings to help the public in early detection of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and also provide eye examination and cancer screenings.
“Since it started in May 2022, a total of 22,924 individuals in Selangor have registered to participate in this programme.
“I hope that more people would take part in the initiative as a form of prevention and early detection (of diseases),” he said.
The Selangor Ruler also lauded the Anak Istimewa Selangor (Anis) programme for special needs (OKU) children, which started in 2018 and has now expanded its services to offer preschool programmes for special needs children.
His Royal Highness said the initiative has also included programmes for OKU youths aged 18 years and above through the Independent Living Support Centre (ILSC), which offers skill development and aid in matching the youths with suitable jobs to boost the productivity of the country.
“Anis has developed into the only holistic and comprehensive ecosystem in Malaysia that provides support and assistance for children with special needs.
“Through this initiative, various assistance and support programmes are provided to parents, children and teachers involved in the education of special needs children.
“The Anis programme is in line with the ‘Kita Selangor’ spirit in ensuring that no one is left behind in the state,” he said.
His Royal Highness also urged the eligible recipients of Iltizam Selangor Penyayang to take part in the 46 programmes offered, which include education, welfare, housing, human capital development and health.
