Budget 2023: Madani health scheme can reduce congestion at hospitals, says minister

PUTRAJAYA: The Madani Health Scheme introduced by the government with an allocation of RM120mil under Budget 2023 is a “credit” facility for the B40 group that allows them to meet a general practitioner at private clinics without having to go to the Emergency Department, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

The Health Minister said the pilot project was one of the measures taken by the government to reduce congestion and patient waiting time at hospitals.

"Apart from that, a total of RM3bil that is allocated for new permanent and contract positions for over 1,500 medical officers, dental officers and pharmacists allows the ministry to implement several measures to tackle the issue of overcrowding.

"It includes optimising the outsourcing of patients from overcrowded hospitals to other hospitals including university hospitals, military hospitals and private hospitals," she said in a statement here today (Feb 24).

She said the ministry also welcomed the government’s move to impose excise duty on liquid or gel products containing nicotine used in electronic cigarettes or vape of which half of the excise duty will be reallocated to the Health Ministry.

She also lauded the government’s decision to increase the tax relief limit on medical treatment expenses from the tax assessment year of 2023 from RM8,000 to RM10,000 to cover the cost of recovery for neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism, Down Syndrome and Specific Learning Disabilities.

The government's commitment to table the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill together with the Generational Endgame (GEG) can protect the younger generation from the smoking habit and reduce deaths due to diseases related to smoking and vaping, she added.

The Health Ministry received the second-highest allocation of RM36.3bil compared with RM32.4bil in 2022, an increase of 12%. - Bernama