Taskforce for 'Skim Peduli Sihat' established - Dr Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 (Bernama) -- A special task force has been established to start the groundwork of the implementation of national 'Skim Peduli Sihat' for the B40 group, in fulfilling Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto in the 14th General Election (14th GE).

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the special task force was led by an expert who has in-depth skills and extensive experience in managing similar programmes elsewhere.

"It is estimated that the nationalised version of 'Skim Peduli Sihat' will benefit more than 2 .6 million households in the country or around 10.4 million people.

"The benefit package of the scheme will also be extended to cover out-patient, in-patient services and preventive health services," he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the 2018 International Conference on Health Financing at Auditorium Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, here today.

Dr Dzulkefly said, strategic purchasing mechanism would be employed in order to ensure the scheme, which was initiated from the Selangor Government's 'Skim Peduli Sihat', would be able to obtain value for money as well as to introduce the right incentives for health providers to promote both preventive and curative services to the target population.

Under the scheme, he said, the ministry was also planning to set up creches for infants aged up to six months in workplaces to avoid untoward incidents among infants at home or at the childcare centres.

He added even though the implementation of the scheme which was listed in the 100 days of PH government's pledges, the ministry would at least roll out the schemes’ plan within the period.

Dr Dzulkefly said for the next phase, the government would also develop and implement Social Insurance Programme as additional health package for the M40 and T20 groups.

Meanwhile, the 2018 International Conference on Health Financing themed 'Mobilising Community Resources Towards Sustainable Health Financing' was jointly organised by the International Centre for Casemix and Clinical Coding, UKM’s Faculty of Medicine and Malaysian Health Economic Association (MAHEA).

Also present at the closing ceremony of the two-day conference were MAHEA president Prof Datuk Dr Syed Mohamed Al Junid and UKM vice chancellor Prof Datuk Ir Dr Mohd Marzuki.

-- BERNAMA