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Malaysia and Health Diplomacy 04
disaster relief assistance are both the MOH has embarked on a very
monetary and in-kind contribution, tumultuous yet very satisfying journey
either independently as a nation, or part of with DNDi, Pharco drug company in
joint e orts by the United Nations. NGOs Egypt and Pharmaniaga in Malaysia, and
such as MERCY Malaysia also act as a also the Foundation for Innovative New
key player, not just locally but also Diagnostics (FIND).
internationally. COVID-19 and other global
pandemics, climate change, political Today we can provide diagnostic and
turmoil and natural disasters have shown curative care for Hepatitis C at local
the inter-connectivity of actions taken by primary care clinics, something which is
individual countries in achieving health now possible at a cost of less than USD
goals. Therefore, Malaysia must aim to be 200 per patient as compared to exorbitant
a key voice in global health diplomacy. cost of USD 20,000 for 12 weeks treatment
per patient previously. This shows how
Earlier in January 2022 in his annual important it is to grasp the subject of
address to the Ministry, Minister of Health health diplomacy well and use it in the
Malaysia Khairy Jamaluddin talked about right context.
a future-proofed future for health in
Malaysia. One of the point she raised was So right now, we are looking at ways
the ‘internationalisation’ of the MOH. to strengthen Malaysia’s role at the
Currently, we have an important role to international level. Another example,
play within the World Health Organization. taking lessons from this pandemic, is on
how the international networking is very
Malaysia is currently a member of the important for us to learn new methods for
WHO Executive Board and will be the public health and pandemic management.
th
Vice-President for the upcoming 75 World
Health Assembly in May 2022. Together, ‚
both the Minister and I would like to see
more Malaysians working in international
organisations.

Our role at the international level is very

important in terms of network, in terms of
our voice in international organisations
and so on. For many years, Malaysia has „
been the founding member of Drug for
Neglected Disease Initiative (DNDi). This
has not only benefitted Malaysia but also We talk about the whole-of-government
the world at large. and the whole-of-society approach. We
fully acknowledge the importance of these
One of the very successful works that approaches in achieving common goals for
Malaysia has been involved in was to push the good of the nation. The COVID-19
the boundary to make curative drugs for pandemic has shown the importance of
Hepatitis C to be made more accessible to these approaches, in particular working
public sector in Malaysia. Recognising with non-state actors to manage the
the public threat it posed to Malaysians, pandemic.