KUALA LUMPUR — From now until the end of February, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) Future Health for All (FH4A) programme will travel to six sates to promote the use of technology and 5G connectivity in healthcare.
20 locations in the six states will showcase health screenings for the public, free mobile app demonstrations and trials, product exhibitions, quizzes and sessions on the future of healthcare, MCMC said in a statement today.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, meanwhile, launched the FH4A in Lembah Pantai, here today.
The constituency, where Fahmi is MP, is one of two locations in Kuala Lumpur that have been selected for the FH4A pilot. Tomorrow, the programme will be held in Segambut.
At the launch today, Fahmi said FH4A is aimed at increasing the public’s health literacy, as Malaysia has a high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which costs the government RM9.65 billion or 16.8% of the country’s health expenditure.
Fahmi also said the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) found that Malaysia’s health literacy rate, which is the ability to understand and access information to maintain health levels, did not show encouraging improvement from 2019 to 2023, with an average rate of one per cent.
“I hope that FH4A can not only increase the level of health literacy of the people, but also ensure that the people are more aware and prepared to face health-related challenges.
“We will start in Kuala Lumpur and travel to five other states ending in Johor but I see that we can also increase collaboration with other healthcare service providers including teaching hospitals and private hospitals,” he said at the launch today.
After Lembah Pantai, FH4A will move on to other locations, namely in Kg Sg Kertas in Gombak and Kuala Selangor (Selangor), Port Dickson, Kuala Pilah, Felda Jelai 04 and Felda Palong 07 (Negeri Sembilan), Felda Sg Tekam Utara, Bentong, Kuantan and Bandar Muadzam Shah (Pahang), Ipoh, Tambun, Felda Troika and Manjung (Perak), and Batu Pahat, Felda Chempelak Barat, Kulai and Pulai (Johor).
MCMC said the programme will be held in other states after the pilot phase is completed, ending in Johor on Feb 28.
The programme will enable residents to from the latest technology and 5G connectivity to improve the quality of national health services, MCMC added.
“This will ensure inclusive and equitable access to future health technologies and supporting the provision of quality health services.
“(It is) a progressive approach by promoting future health technologies through pilot programmes, recognising that the increase in NCDs has a significant impact on the national economy.”
MCMC said the FH4A programme is a strategic collaboration with the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), ProtectHealth, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) and KPJ Healthcare Berhad. – January 18, 2025