PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called on the government to urgently implement a structured, well-funded national programme to upskill general practitioners (GP) in geriatric and elderly care, warning that Malaysia is unprepared for a rapidly ageing population.
MMA president Thirunavukarasu Rajoo said the initiative must go beyond short-term measures and include clear competency standards, sustained training pathways and formal recognition of geriatric care within general practice.
"In parallel, a sustainable funding model must be established, as elderly care is time-intensive and complex.
"GPs must be adequately reimbursed through structured mechanisms such as capitation, case-based payments or targeted subsidies," he said in a statement on Tuesday (April 28).
He added that when elderly patients are effectively managed at community clinics, they receive care that is closer to home, more personalised and more dignified, while also easing congestion in public hospitals.
He said the MMA also urged the government to establish a national-level GP upskilling programme in elderly care, develop a viable financing model for primary-level geriatric services, strengthen referral pathways between GPs, hospitals and community services and provide meaningful support for caregivers, including financial aid and respite services.
"Long-term care financing must also be addressed through a clear and sustainable national framework.
"Our seniors deserve more than fragmented solutions. They deserve a system designed around their realities, one that brings care closer to where they live," he said.
Citing findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2025, Thirunavukarasu said the data paints a sobering picture of ageing in Malaysia.
"Only one in seven Malaysian seniors is ageing healthily. Nearly one in five is living alone, while one in three caregivers is overwhelmed.
"By 2036, Malaysia will officially become an ageing nation. These are not distant projections, this is already happening," he said.
He said doctors are increasingly seeing elderly patients presenting with multiple chronic conditions, early frailty, declining mobility and cognitive impairment.
"When nearly half of our seniors are losing muscle mass, three in five are at risk of frailty and close to one in ten is living with dementia, this goes far beyond statistics.
"These are Malaysians who built this nation, many of whom now struggle to access even basic care due to mobility and transport limitations," he added.
Thirunavukarasu stressed that mobility challenges are a critical barrier to care, particularly for seniors living alone, while the growing burden on caregivers is becoming equally concerning.
"Families, often with little to no support, are quietly shouldering responsibilities that the broader system must help share.
"Without financial assistance, respite care or structured support, many are being pushed to the brink," he said, adding that the issue extends beyond healthcare into a wider societal challenge.
He emphasised that Malaysia does not need to rely solely on expanding hospital capacity, pointing instead to the country's existing network of nearly 10,000 private GPs embedded within communities nationwide.
"GPs are the most accessible point of care for most Malaysians.
"They are located within neighbourhoods, maintain long-standing relationships with patients and understand family contexts in ways that larger institutions cannot replicate," he said.
However, he said that elderly care requires a different level of expertise, including managing multiple chronic conditions, identifying early frailty, screening for cognitive decline and coordinating care.
"At present, many GPs have not been provided with the structured training, tools or support needed to deliver comprehensive geriatric care consistently.
"Malaysia already has the foundation. What is needed now is leadership, structure and urgent implementation," he said.
