Malaysia to boost palliative care specialists to 50 by 2027
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that Malaysia plans to increase the number of palliative care specialists to 50 within two years, up from 34, to meet the growing need for end-of-life care.
Dr Dzulkefly explained that about 180,000 Malaysians will need palliative care this year. To address the shortage, the ministry ensures at least one specialist is available in each state and works with NGOs and health clinics to provide support.
The government is expanding training programs and integrating palliative care into medical school curriculums. Malaysia’s ranking for palliative care has improved, moving from 38th in 2015 to 9th in the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Dzulkefly also launched the country’s first “National Standards for Palliative Care” to improve and standardize end-of-life care nationwide.
