Galen Centre lauds return of Dr Dzulkefly as Health Minister, flags challenges ahead
12 Dec 2023, 12:38 pm
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Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Bernama filepix)

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 12): The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy has welcomed the return of Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad as Minister of Health but cautioned on the scale of challenges and expectations ahead.

In a statement on Tuesday, Galen Centre chief executive officer Azrul Mohd Khalib said Dzulkefly’s appointment showed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recognition of the need for experience, expertise and prioritisation to address the many significant short- and long-term challenges faced in the health portfolio.

“Dr Dzulkefly will need to hit the ground running, and will face a steep learning curve.

“There will be less patience, very little sympathy and cynicism among many stakeholders,” said Azrul.

He said the Health Minister must act to rebuild confidence, build alliances, and regain trust. The health challenges that Malaysia faces have grown increasingly larger, and in some situations, worsened over the past year.

Azrul said Dzulkefly needs to prioritise the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 until it passes through Dewan Negara, is signed by the King, and is gazetted into the statute books and hence becomes law.

“Anything could happen to stall the progress of the bill. Somehow, this past year has seen the government becoming labelled as being pro-tobacco and pro-vape industry, with many compromises and eroding of Malaysia’s obligations under the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

“The incoming minister needs to immediately act to repair the damage to Malaysia’s reputation,” Azrul said.

“Secondly, Dr Dzulkefly needs to consider four critical issues: finding a solution to sustainable healthcare financing, respond effectively to the crisis of non-communicable diseases, close the gap on mental health, and address the lack of preparedness to provide care for our ageing population.

“The previous minister faced the same issues, and they have not seen any improvement in the past year,” Azrul said.

He added that the Health Ministry must also prioritise communicating its work more effectively and ensuring involvement of all stakeholders in the planning of programmes, and evaluation of outcomes.

“Dr Dzulkefly needs to ensure that a deliberate consultative and inclusive approach is adopted and taken [in] dealing with health problems which make people and patients at the centre and beneficiaries of policies, as opposed to just being the target of them.

“We hope that he works in collaboration and consultatively with the private sector, patient groups, affected communities and civil society organisations,” Azrul said.

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