KhazanahResearch Institute
10
Public healthcare sector in Malaysia provides
universal health coverage, but it is under strain
Source: MOH (2020), authors’ calculations
•Malaysia claims to have achieved UHC since
1980s
•Healthcare costs in public healthcare facilities are
funded by the government through government
revenue, with minimal user fees for Malaysians.
•Public healthcare sector has more hospital beds,
doctors and nurses, but have much higher
volumes of patients compared to the private
healthcare sector.
•Chronic underinvestment in the public healthcare
delivery sector overcrowding, understaffed
Distribution of key healthcare resources by sector, 2019
0
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
Admissions Outpatient Attendances
Public HospitalsPrivate Hospitals
Number of hospital admissions and outpatient attendances by sector, 2019
Public Private
Hospitals 145 208
Hospital beds 42,183 16,469
Clinics 1,114 7,988
Doctors 52,129 15,457
Nurses 71,778 35,970