For Malaysians, accessing healthcare services in government hospitals or clinics costs very little, as much of the costs are heavily subsidised by the government. But with more people turning to private healthcare services and non-communicable diseases on the rise, can many of us still afford healthcare? In the fifth episode of our Mind the Health Gap mini-series looking at barriers to accessing healthcare, we look at how financial challenges prevent access to healthcare, and if we need a tax-based system or a national health insurance system. Prof Dato' Dr Syed Mohamed Aljunid, Professor of Health Economics and Public Health Medicine, & President, Malaysian Health Economic Association, and Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Chairperson, Parti Sosialis Malaysia, weigh in.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Lim Sue Ann

Presented by: Tee Shiao Eek

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Categories:  health policy

Tags:  health accessibility,  mindthehealthgap,  insurance,  health budget,  public hospital,  private hospital,