Malaysia Quality of Life

HEALTH

Vision for Health

“Malaysia is to be a nation of healthy individuals, families and communities, through a health system that is equitable, affordable, efficient, technologically appropriate, environmentally adaptable and consumer-friendly, with emphasis on quality, innovation, health promotion and respect for human dignity, and which promotes individual responsibility and community participation towards an enhanced quality of life. The mission of the Ministry of Health towards the achievement of the Vision for Health is to build partnerships for health, to facilitate and support the people to attain fully their potential in health, to appreciate health as a valuable asset and take positive action to improve further and sustain the health status of individuals, families and communities through health promotion, prevention, curative and rehabilitative services so as to enable all to lead a socially and economically productive life, and enjoy a better quality of life”.

Source: Ministry of Health, Malaysia

Considerable improvements were achieved in the health status of the nation. This was the direct result of the Government’s commitment and advocacy of health as a social responsibility. This commitment is based on the recognition that health is an integral part of the development process and instrumental to effect socio-economic change and hence, the quality of life. Malaysian health care is a mixed public-private system, which operates in parallel with heavy involvement of the public-sector in the provision of health services. Malaysia’s health status is comparable to that of developed countries especially in terms of life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rate.

The health status of the population, measured by the Health Index in the MQLI, mirrors the achievement of the health sector. During the period 1990-2002, significant improvements were made in the standard of health as reflected by the increase in the health index. The health index, as measured by the infant mortality rate, life expectancy at birth and the doctor population ratio, increased by 15.8 points. This was mainly due to the implementation of programs for the improvement of the quality of health services.

The infant mortality rate, one of the most significant indicators of the overall health and nutritional status of the nation, improved from 13.3 per thousand live births in 1990 to an impressive 5.7 in 2002, indicating the country’s achievement comparable to that of developed countries. Rural and public health programs such as immunization, maternal and child-care, nutrition, water sanitation and health education contributed to this improvement.

Life expectancy at birth for both male and female improved from 68.9 to 70.4 years and from 73.5 to 75.3 years, respectively from 1990 to 2002. This is largely attributed to significant improvements in access to health and medical services as well as the increased emphasis on promotive and preventive services.

The doctor-population ratio also improved from one doctor per 2,582 in 1990 to 1,406 in 2002. The increase in the number of doctors was due to concerted efforts that were taken during the period, including the expansion in the intake of medical students into local institutions of higher learning, recruitment of foreign doctors and specialists as well as the re-employment of retired doctors and specialists on a contract basis.

Major Measures Undertaken to Improve Health, 1990-2002

Promotive and Preventive Health Services

• Healthy lifestyle campaigns focusing on healthy behavior, healthy eating, exercise and fitness, good mental health and abstinence from smoking and dadah emphasized Promotion of Healthy Families in 2001 and promotion of Healthy Environment in 2002.
• In 2001 CERAH or Cegah Rokok, Alkohol dan Dadah was introduced to encourage youth to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
• Health education programmes were intensified to provide knowledge and information towards ensuring a healthy lifestyle. These include programmes on Cardiovascular Disease (1991), Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)(1992), Food Hygiene (1993), Promotion of Child Health (1994) and Prevention of Cancer(1995).
• An expanded program of immunization was continued for the prevention of diphtheria, prussic, tetanus, poliomyelitis and tuberculosis.
• Nutritional programs were incorporated into the Program Pembangunan Rakyat Termiskin (PPRT).
• The food quality control program was continued to ensure that the public consumed safe and nutritious food.
• The environmental health and sanitation program continued to ensure safe water to rural communities.
• The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health was established in 1992 to provide training in occupational safety and health, disseminate information on preventive measures, promote healthy and safe practices at work and conduct research as well as provide consultancy services.

Curative Health Services

• Curative health care facilities such as hospitals and polyclinics improved significantly through the provision of upgraded services and modern diagnostic equipment which included Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan, mammography equipment as well as echo cardiography and stress test equipment.
• Specialist facilities and services were improved
• General outpatient and pharmaceutical services were expanded

Medical Research and Development

• Medical research and development activities were aimed at improving the diagnosis, management and prevention of infectious diseases with emphasis given to biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and behavioral research.