As the Parliament of Malaysia prepares to table Budget 2027 tomorrow, there is hope that the government’s focus on health care will place greater emphasis on prevention, health education, and a reform of Malaysia’s health culture.
One recommendation that many practising clinicians would strongly support is the need to place non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and lifestyle-related risk factors at the centre of health care reform.
The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy last month called for measures such as the removal of sugar subsidies and stronger fiscal policies to discourage unhealthy consumption. These proposals merit serious consideration from policymakers.
While some NCDs have genetic or hereditary components, a significant proportion are strongly shaped by lifestyle, diet, and environmental factors that can be prevented, delayed, or better managed such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
