Details on proposed health service commission being finalised

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad assured the medical community the government is taking the proposal for the health service commission seriously as it is one of the pledges in PH’s election manifesto.

PUTRAJAYA: The government is in the final stages of studying the proposal for a health service commission to be set up, according to health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“We are in the final stages of looking into this matter. I hope to announce the outcome (of the study) in the near future.

“But we will definitely refer the matter to the Cabinet first,” he told reporters today.

Dzulkefly assured the medical community that the government was taking this proposal for the health service commission seriously as it was among the pledges made by Pakatan Harapan in its manifesto in the last general election.

“I can’t reveal details of the commission now,” he said.

Last year, then health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said details on the setting up of the commission were being finalised with the aim of addressing issues related to the healthcare service schemes, especially for healthcare professionals, and doctors in particular.

“We are finalising the details and also engaging with experts, not only from the ministry but also from outside the ministry,” she had been quoted as saying.

Separately, on Clinical Research Malaysia’s 2023 annual report released today, Dzulkefly said Malaysia recorded 276 sponsored research projects last year, a 24% increase over the previous year.

“With more than 2,300 sponsored research projects in the country since 2012, the gross national income from clinical research contracts has grown year by year, now amounting to a total of RM1.16 billion,” he said.