Health Care Systems of Malaysia

Malaysia is fortunate to have a very comprehensive range of the health services. The Malaysian government is very much committed to its principles of a universal access to high-quality health care in which the local Ministry of Health offers thru wide varieties of nationwide networks of clinics and hospitals. However, in spite of the dedication of the local government of Malaysia to provide the best possible health care, there are still some problems that are unsolved, and one of those is the unavailability of quality health care centers in remove areas. When patients are transferred from a specific health center to a more probable hospital, doing so not only incurs some inconveniences on the part of the patient and the family, but also adds costs to the health care systems. In order to deal with the issue, a tool has been designed called the tele primary care. This method helps the doctors on remote areas to discuss problem cases by tele-consultations with specialists and doctors on hospitals.

The Malaysian government is continually striving to make the healthcare system better but there is still a dearth of medical expertise in the country and their high concentration in the urban areas. The current efforts in the past few years have certainly made developments for the health care system in Malaysia.
The Evolution of Healthcare in Malaysia

The health care in Malaysia has notably undergone some radical transformations. The earliest pre-colonial medical cares were confined mostly on those traditional remedies that are evident today on local Chinese, Malays, and some other ethnic group populations. However, with the birth of colonialism, more modern and westernized medical practices are then slowly introduced to this country. Since its independence way back August of 1957, the different systems of medical care were then transferred from British colonial rules to meet the growing needs of proper health care in Malaysia.



At present, Malaysia is divided into two sectors—the public sectors and the private sectors. Doctor are generally required to render three years of serving in public hospitals throughout the whole nation, making it a point to provide adequate coverage of the medical needs of the general population. Foreign doctors are also encouraged to share their expertise in Malaysia.



Over the years, Malaysia has been continuously vigilant about their health care system. For emigrants who are planning to stay in Malaysia, the health care system of this Asian Dragon is one thing to be worried about. The presence of so many medical schools in this nation is enough to attest that Malaysia is really serious with their aim in providing quality health care not only to its residents but to its tourists, emigrants, and visitors as well.

One of the flagship projects of the Malaysian government in the past decade has been medical tourism. This provides for affordable costs for procedures and accommodations for this particular market segment.



Some Medical Issues in Malaysia

Very common among Asian countries are over-prescription of some doctors who think of nothing but how to gain much money from their patients. This particular is actually very rampant not only in Malaysia, but also in some neighboring Asian countries. Although there are some reductions of over-prescription cases, the problem still remains up to this day. Emigrants are warned about these issues as there are possibilities that they might come across with this. Additionally, problems about selling fake drugs have been recorded, according to major pharmaceutical firms in Malaysia but these problems have long been solved. Again, everybody should be cautious about it because safety and health are very important things.



The medical society of Malaysia also recommends all travelers, tourists, emigrants, and the likes to visit their personal physicians or travel health clinics at least four to eight weeks prior to departure. Vaccinations on the following possible medical problems should be properly done:

Hepatitis- recommended for all the travelers

Typhoid- recommended for the travelers who may drink or eat outside major hotels and restaurants

Yellow Fever- required for every traveler that is more than a year old of age upon arrival. Not recommended otherwise

Japanese Encephalitis- for long term traveler on rural areas, or those who may possibly be engaged in unprotected and extensive outdoor activities on rural areas

Hepatitis B- for travelers who have direct contacts with local residents. This is very important especially if the visit is more than six months.