KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has tabled the ministry’s much-awaited White Paper in the Dewan Rakyat.

“I am delighted to table the motion, that this House has to understand the need for reform; that the healthcare sector needs to improvethe well-being of the people so that it is relevant now and in the future,” she said while tabling the paper in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (June 15).

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The policy paper will be open for debates by 30 MPs in the august hall; the 57-page document will detail healthcare reforms to be implemented in phases over a period of 15 years.

The Health Ministry has also conducted town-hall sessions nationwide to collect on-the-ground views on the problems surrounding the healthcare sector and proposed solutions.

Dr Zaliha said while tabling the White Paper that the reforms are a good investment for the country.

She added that the White Paper will ensure increased access to a high-quality, fair healthcare service with stronger social protection and financial risk protection as a sustainable and resilient healthcare system will ensure the well-being of the people and spur economic growth.

The 15-year timeline will begin in 2024 and end in 2039.

The Paper features four core objectives namely the transformation of the healthcare services, stepping up healthcare promotions and disease prevention, sustainable and equitable healthcare funding and strengthening the fundamentals and administration of the healthcare system.

“If this white paper is accepted by the MPs, the strategies within the White Paper for Health will be spelled out immediately and the implementation will be developed so that this important and critical effort will not be delayed for the well being of the people and the country,” she said.

Dr Zaliha said a body will be set up to monitor the progress and ensure that healthcare reforms will be implemented continuously and transparently to fulfill the objectives.

She said the body, which aims to ensure check-and-balance, will report the achievements of the reforms on a periodic basis to Parliament and the people.