Finance Minister Moh Budget Not Cut Not A Single Area Of Healthcare Had Its Allocation Reduced

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File photo of Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz tabling Budget 2021 in Parliament November 6, 2020. ― Bernama picKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has reiterated that the Government will not compromise in its efforts to safeguard the lives and health of Malaysians.
This comes after various parties alleged that the Government has drastically reduced public health allocation in the Budget 2021. 
In a Facebook post, Tengku Zafrul clarified that the allocation under Budget 2021 for the Ministry of Health (MOH) is RM31.9b, which is higher than the RM30.6b allocated for 2020. 
He added that the allocation for medical supplies and consumables amounting to RM4.29b has been allocated and classified under code 080000 (Specific Programmes), which includes Government Supply of Public Medical Facilities of RM2.89b and Medicinal & Laboratory supplies of RM1.4b. 
“This is why the total allocation under code 020000 (Medical) shows a ‘reduction’ from RM14.2 billion (2020) to RM11.3 billion (2021). These details contain provisions for various areas of healthcare including nephrology and pharmacy. The fact is no area of healthcare has had its allocation reduced,” said Zafrul. 
Tengku Zafrul said the government has also allocated RM24 million to address mental health issues through the enhancement of the Mental Health Program, Prevention of Physical Abuse and Substance Abuse, as well as providing RM420 million to enhance its Supplementary Meal Plan, where students from low-income families get a daily supply of milk for every school day. 
He explained that there is also an additional allocation of RM475 million for the supply of reagents and consumables needed in relation to Covid-19. 
“RM318 million is for the provision of PPE equipment and hand sanitisers for frontline staff, RM150 million to the National Disaster Management Agency to coordinate efforts to combat Covid-19, RM50 million for procurement of equipment, laboratory test supplies and medicines at the Teaching University Hospitals as well as additional equipment for running dental facilities, virtual clinic services, health screening zone facilities and thermometers at health facilities to fulfil the new norm SOPs.
“All the above allocations are over and above the government’s RM1.8 billion allocation this year for the implementation of MCO and public health needs related to Covid-19, including the purchase of Personal Protection Equipment or PPE, reagents and consumables,” he said in his post. - malaymail

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