PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has been allocated RM45.3bil, the second highest under Budget 2025.
This is an increase from the RM41.2bil allocated under Budget 2024.
As part of the government’s 'war on sugar', Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also announced that excise duties on sugar-sweetened beverages will be raised by 40 sen per litre starting Jan 1, 2025.
Anwar said the funds collected from the excise duties will be used for treatments and procurement of medicine supplies.
A total of RM1.35bil is allocated to upgrade dilapidated healthcare facilities including rundown wards and toilets and RM300mil for upgrade and repairs of dilapidated clinics.
“I have advised the Health and Education ministries to pay attention to the basic infrastructure. There are many basic facilities such as the lobbies of hospitals and toilets that are dilapidated,” said Anwar.
“Use this allocation for repairs and don’t just say that funds are inadequate. Cut down on other areas and make sure the people’s well-being is taken care of. This is an order to all departments and ministries,” he said.
Meanwhile, RM25mil will be set aside for Rakan KKM programme to be conducted at five hospitals which with high demand.
Aside from that, RM100 million was allocated for healthcare facilities that serve as centres of excellence such as Serdang Hospital, National Cancer Institute, and Kuala Lumpur Hospital among others.
The government has also allocated RM25 million for rare disease treatments.
