KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) is actively reviewing the proposals presented during the 2024 Budget Dialogue session as part of the budget preparation process, said Deputy Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
He mentioned that during the dialogue session yesterday (Sept 8), the ministry received valuable and constructive feedback from stakeholders.
“In addition to addressing the challenges faced by the Ministry of Health, we also received proposals such as tax cut incentives. We will recommend these proposals to the Finance Ministry (MOF).
“I personally believe that these proposals will not only benefit the community but also taxpayers,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters after officiating the 2023 Malaysian Health Ministry Training Institute (ILKKM) Convocation Ceremony for Sarawak Zone at DeTAR Putra Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) here today (Sept 9).
He then said that the dialogue session delved into critical areas, including digitalization, concession services, and policy proposals for the MOH’s 2024 Budget submission to the MOF.
“This includes the procurement of medical devices through concessions or hire purchase and preparations for digitization, aligning with the MOH’s plan to implement a digital record system in hospitals and health clinics nationwide by 2030,” he said.
Lukanisman expressed confidence that the ministry would present a comprehensive budget to the MOF in accordance with the health white paper and Budget 2024.
“We are hopeful that the MOF will allocate an increased budget to us,” he stressed.
Previously, Health Minister Dr. Zaliha Mustafa had confirmed that all inputs gathered during the MOH 2024 Budget Dialogue session would be carefully considered in the formulation of the 2024 Budget, slated for presentation in October.
She also noted that the dialogue featured participation from 96 stakeholders spanning various industry sectors, including hospital support services, pharmaceuticals, information technology, and medical devices.
