He said some of the health clinics in rural areas, especially those built more than 50 years ago, were in poor condition and in need of repairs.

“Allocations were made for the ministry yesterday to upgrade such facilities,” he said when speaking at the Negeri Sembilan Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia Tour, which was opened by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob here today.

Under the 2023 budget, the health ministry has been allocated RM36.1 billion, compared to RM32.4 billion this year. This is one of the biggest increases among ministries.

Khairy said health services should not focus solely on treatment at hospitals, but also on disease prevention measures.

He said it would be better if funds were used to promote a healthy lifestyle among the people.