A 13-member advisory council was formed on Aug 10 and tasked with contributing recommendations and advice for the health ministry to develop the white paper.
However, the council’s composition has come under fire as 10 of its members are medical doctors — leading to claims that its outcomes would not be inclusive.
Responding to this criticism, the health minister said that stakeholder engagement was more important than the officials in the advisory council.
“The advisory council’s main purpose is to provide strategic input for the white paper that is to be prepared by the health ministry. However, they aren’t the only people I’m going to ask for advice,” Khairy said at a press conference here.
“Rest assured, we will be reaching out to as many people as possible before preparing the white paper. I wouldn’t worry too much about the composition of the (advisory) council.”
Khairy also said that the advisory council was not “doctor heavy” as there are economists, doctors focused on areas such as health financing, and an associate professor in nursing who could provide different perspectives.
The council held its first meeting on Aug 30, which was co-chaired by former health minister Dr S Subramaniam and former Employees Provident Fund and Khazanah Nasional chief Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.
Khairy said he had asked Subramaniam and Shahril to establish different working groups to provide input for the white paper.
In a statement on Friday, Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) president Amrahi Buang said the lack of council members with experience in pharmacy and policy expertise could lead to outcomes that were not “holistic, comprehensive or inclusive”.
“Taking pharmacists out of the equation is considered the very antithesis of advancing healthcare in Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has criticised the advisory council for excluding other representatives involved in healthcare.
Speaking to FMT, CAP adviser Dr T Jeyabalan said that patient and consumer groups, as well as civil society organisations in different fields, should have a seat on the council.
“We need a broad representation of stakeholders in the council,” he said.