KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 25): To those following healthcare issues in the country, it may appear that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been under siege recently, having been bombarded by complaints and criticisms from all sides as it grapples with deep-rooted systemic issues in the public as well as the private healthcare system.

Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has had to deal with a relentless stream of problems since he was reappointed to helm the ministry, following a Cabinet reshuffle in December 2023. These ranged from the recognition of specialists, an insulin shortage scare and the resignation of more than 6,000 doctors — although this happened over the last five years — to surging private healthcare costs that have led to an unprecedented jump in medical insurance premiums.

In short, there has been little respite for him.

Some of the proposals the ministry has come up with to resolve or alleviate these issues have also been heavily criticised, such as the Waktu Bekerja Berlainan or Staggered Working Hours system. Some doctors are reportedly threatening a strike to protest against this new shift system that MOH reportedly wanted to implement on Feb 1 to minimise the issue of overworked healthcare staff, claiming unfair compensation for long hours and exploitation of graveyard shifts.

In the midst of that, the ministry has been slammed as being a "disaster" by former health director general Tan Sri Dr Abu Bakar Suleiman, who said the ministry works in silos and has got its priorities wrong. Abu Bakar also panned the country's healthcare system as being stuck in the last century.

With the many problems bogging down his ministry, Dzulkefly admitted in an interview with The Edge recently to being "overwhelmed" at times after his return to the ministry that he first helmed from May 2018 to February 2020.

Nevertheless, he assured that reforms are under way and shared his thoughts and plans on some of the most foremost initiatives, including the proposed rollout of the diagnosis-related group system, the private-wing expansion in public hospitals via RakanKKM that will start in the middle of the year in five selected hospitals, and more.

Check out what he has to share in the latest issue of The Edge.

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