PUTRAJAYA, Dec 3 — Newly appointed Health Minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa has pledged to address issues involving the placement of graduate doctors and the direction for specialists as well as providing better health services to meet people’s needs.
Dr Zaliha said other issues she will focus on are related to the marginalised, infrastructure and various health and hospital needs, mental health and supply of medicine.
“Certainly an immediate priority is to examine preparations for Budget 2023 that will be tabled in Parliament starting on Dec 19. Hopefully, the health sector will be given a comprehensive allocation which can meet the needs,” she said in a statement posted on her Facebook page today.
She said she hoped that civil servants and medical practitioners will support her to make every plan of the Ministry of Health (MOH) a success.
The Johor-born native said the experience, expertise and tenacity of civil servants and medical practitioners are highly anticipated so that the country's health sector can be on par with the health services of developed countries.
“The appointment as Minister of Health is a great trust entrusted to me. Alhamdulillah, the swearing-in ceremony has been completed with the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
“I believe the Ministry of Health is very important because it is the main focus of Malaysians, especially in the post-pandemic era of Covid-19,” she said.
The Sekijang Member of Parliament who was born on June 28, 1964, took the oath of office before Al-Sultan Abdullah at Istana Negara today, together with two Deputy Prime Ministers and 24 ministers in the unity government Cabinet line-up announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
Dr Zaliha also described the health portfolio as something close to her heart as she started her career in medicine in 1989 at Sultanah Aminah Hospital Johor Bahru.
“Alhamdulillah, the 10th Prime Minister (Anwar) has listened to the voice of the grassroots and the people for this portfolio to be held by a medical practitioner and this matter has already been fulfilled,” she said, adding that it was a sign that the people of this country pay great attention to health services which is the fundamental need of all groups. — Bernama
