Healthcare in Malaysia

Malaysia has an efficient and widespread system of health care. Infant mortality rate – a standard in determining the overall efficiency of healthcare – in 2005 was 10, comparing favourably with the United States and western Europe. Life expectancy at birth in 2005 was 74 years.

History of Healthcare in Malaysia
Healthcare in Malaysia has undergone radical transformations. Earliest pre-colonial medical care was confined to traditional remedies current among local populations of Malays, Chinese and other ethnic groups. The advent of colonialism brought western medical practice into the country. Since independence in August 1957, the system of medical care transferred from the British colonial rule has been transformed to meet the needs of emerging disease, as well as national political requirements.

Healthcare today in Malaysia
Healthcare in Malaysia is divided into private and public sectors. Doctors are required to perform 3 years of service with public hospitals throughout the nation, ensuring adequate coverage of medical needs for the general population. Foreign doctors are encouraged to apply for employment in Malaysia, especially if they are qualified to a higher level.

Malaysian society places importance on the expansion and development of healthcare, putting 5% of the government social sector development budget into public healthcare — an increase of more than 47% over the previous figure. This has meant an overall increase of more than RM 2 billion. With a rising and aging population, the Government wishes to improve in many areas including the refurbishment of existing hospitals, building and equipping new hospitals, expansion of the number of polyclinics, and improvements in training and expansion of telehealth. Over the last couple of years they have increased their efforts to overhaul the systems and attract more foreign investment.

There is still a shortage in the medical workforce, especially of highly trained specialists. As a result certain medical care and treatment is available only in large cities. Recent efforts to bring many facilities to other towns have been hampered by lack of expertise to run the available equipment made ready by investments.

The majority of private hospital facilities are in urban areas and, unlike many of the public hospitals, are equipped with the latest diagnostic and imaging facilities. Private hospitals have not generally been seen as an ideal investment – it has often taken up to 10 years before companies have seen any profits. However, the situation has now changed and companies are now looking into this area again, particularly in view of the increasing interest by foreigners in coming to Malaysia for medical care.

Medical schools in Malaysia

 * School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
 * Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
 * Monash University Malaysia, Clinical School Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru.
 * Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur.
 * Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor.
 * School of Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Locked Bag No. 2073, 88999, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
 * Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
 * International Medical University
 * Penang Medical College
 * Masterskill College of Nursing and Health