Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: Wikipedia

Malaysia is working hard to make healthcare better for everyone in the country. On Tuesday, the Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, announced six big new steps to help improve how health services are delivered. These plans focus on using more accurate information (called evidence-based healthcare), expanding digital tools, and making services more helpful and friendly for patients.

He explained these new plans at the National Health Technology Assessment Conference 2025, held recently. The goal is to make sure that doctors, nurses, and decision-makers use the best and most up-to-date information when treating patients or planning health policies.

All six projects will be carried out by MaHTAS, which stands for the Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section. This department works under the Health Ministry and helps check if medical tools, treatments, or technologies really work well before they are used across the country.

Why These Initiatives Are Important

Dr Dzulkefly said these plans will help Malaysia stay ahead in the healthcare field and be a leader in using health technology. These steps will not only make medical decisions better but also bring people from different parts of the health system to work together. He hopes these efforts will make Malaysia a leader in health innovation, which means finding new and smart ways to care for people.

The Six New Initiatives in Detail

Here are the six new projects introduced by the Health Ministry:

MyMaHTAS Website – A New Online Health Platform

A new and improved website, called MyMaHTAS, is being launched. This site will provide easy access to important documents like Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reports and Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs). Doctors, researchers, and health planners will be able to read and use these tools online anytime they need them. This means better, faster, and more reliable decisions when caring for patients.

Guide to Using Real-World Evidence (RWE)

This guide shows how real-life medical data, such as records from hospitals and clinics, can be used to improve medical research. Instead of only using information from controlled experiments (like clinical trials), this method includes actual patient data from daily practice. That way, doctors can understand what treatments work for Malaysian patients in real situations.

Public Health Intervention Framework

This is a new tool that will help the government study public health programmes more deeply. It looks at more than just whether a programme works—it also considers fairness, cost, and how it affects different communities. For example, when the government starts a vaccination campaign, this framework will help check if it reaches poor, rural, and urban communities equally.

MaHTAS Assessment Framework for Digital Health Technology (DHT)

Digital tools like health apps, video doctor visits (telehealth), and artificial intelligence are growing fast. This new framework will help test these digital tools to make sure they are safe, useful, and suitable for Malaysians. Not all apps or health technologies are useful, so this tool will help choose only the best ones for the country’s healthcare system.

Ask CPG Platform – AI at the Doctor’s Side

This platform uses smart technology to give doctors fast access to medical advice. When a doctor needs help deciding on a patient visit, they can quickly use this platform to find up-to-date guidelines written by MaHTAS. It works in real-time, so doctors won’t waste time searching through thick books or long websites.

White Paper on Enhancing Medical Device Assessment

This important document talks about seven smart ways to improve how Malaysia checks and approves medical devices. These are machines or tools used to treat patients, like blood pressure monitors or surgical equipment. The white paper says Malaysia must focus on value-based healthcare, which means using tools that give the best care for the right cost.

Malaysia’s Big Vision: Becoming a Centre of Excellence

Dr Dzulkefly shared his dream that MaHTAS should one day be like NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) in the United Kingdom. NICE is known around the world for checking health technologies and giving advice on the best treatments.

Even though MaHTAS was created before NICE, NICE has become more famous globally. Dr Dzulkefly wants Malaysia to catch up and become a world leader in this area. He said this is the right time to improve MaHTAS and make it more respected, trusted, and strong.

Strong Teamwork Needed for Success

Dr Dzulkefly also said that everyone in the Health Ministry must work together to make this dream come true. He explained that his job is to give the vision and direction, but the actual steps will be taken by top officials like the Secretary-General. They will make sure the plans are carried out properly.

He believes that these new changes will not only help hospitals and clinics but will also improve care for ordinary Malaysians everywhere—from big cities to small villages.

What This Means for Malaysians

These changes may sound technical, but they will help everyday people in many ways:

• Better Care: Doctors will have better tools and knowledge to make the right choices.
• Faster Service: Digital platforms will help reduce waiting times and make visits smoother.
• More Fairness: New frameworks will make sure care is fair for all, whether rich or poor.
• Smart Spending: Medical devices and programmes will be checked carefully before money is spent on them.
• Stronger Malaysia: By becoming a leader in health technology, Malaysia can help others and attract partnerships.

A Step Toward a Healthier Future

This is a big moment for healthcare in Malaysia. With these six powerful steps, the country is showing it is serious about giving people the best care possible. Whether through digital tools, smart research, or better planning, the goal is the same: to make sure everyone—young and old—gets high-quality care that is safe, fair, and modern.

As Malaysia continues to build a smarter and stronger health system, these new projects will help doctors, nurses, and leaders make better choices for the nation’s health.