KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The proposed establishment of a national health fund is to prepare the country against possible health threats, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the move will ensure no one is left out of treatment if infected with a dangerous disease.
He said AMR is a condition where drugs like antibiotics cannot fight infection.
“Imagine the antibiotics that are being used today suddenly become ineffective… This concerns health financing, it is important we are financially prepared.
“Preparations are necessary as when it comes to universal health coverage, the mantra used by the World Health Organisation is not to leave anyone behind in any health calamity, including pandemics, AMR and so on,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today
He was responding to a supplementary question from Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai) about how the fund would help the country face the AMR threat.
Dzulkefly said the ministry is aware of macroeconomic, administrative and political constraints that will affect the country’s health transformation, and is fine-tuning the direction of the reform of the health financing system.
“The new direction will take into account the challenges and realities facing the country and will optimise the best practices and experiences of global health,” he said in response to an original question from Suhaizan about the ministry’s plan to establish a national health fund.
— Bernama
