Problem Statement

Since 2006, the Ministry of Health has provided access to public health services at a 50% discount off the foreigners’ rate for UNHCR cardholders, which is generally unaffordable to most still.

However, recent decisions such as a 30% price hike for foreigners’ and up to 100% fee hike planned in an effort to remove all subsidies for the healthcare of foreigners have further hampered access to public health care services for the migrant population.

In 2015, UNHCR conducted a health access and utilization survey that revealed in Malaysia, 26.7% has chronic conditions – including hypertension, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The prevalence among urban refugee populations poses a huge challenge in terms of reducing mortalities and morbidities. Also, despite the fact that 91.8% of pregnant women had at least one antenatal visit during their pregnancy, 44.6% of them reported difficulties in accessing antenatal services.

Communicable diseases like TB are also a main source of morbidity for the refugee population with about over 200 cases a year. It is important that these refugees are identified early and steps are taken to ensure treatment to avoid public health consequences to them and the local population.

In view of this, we need to ensure continued access to care, early diagnosis and management of these conditions. Lack of access to treatment will only lead to further complications resulting in either strokes, dialysis, or cardiac complications, and delayed treatment of TB which would only mean more healthcare costs.