PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association hopes that the Government will increase spending on healthcare to meet the people’s pressing needs. Its president Dr John Chew said the country faced a triple burden of an ageing population, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and newly emerging infections. Meanwhile, rising healthcare costs had forced many to seek government-provided care, resulting in overcrowding and long queues, he said. Dr Chew said Malaysia currently spends 4.3% of its GDP on health, of which the public-private share is 55:45. Dr Chew also said NCDs linked to issues such as high smoking rates, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and mental health should be targeted for preventive measures.

Source: The Star October 05, 2016 22:52 UTC