Health in Malaysia

Malaysia is classified by The World Bank as upper middle-income country and is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move further up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology, knowledge-based industries and services.

[4] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Malaysia achieves 96.8% of what is expected based on its current income.

[4] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 86.4% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income.

The number of medically certified deaths in 2016 were recorded at 85,637 (52.8%) which is an increase of 1.0 percentage points as compared to 80,691 in 2015 (51.8%)[12] Department of statistic Malaysia reported in the press release statistics on causes of death, Malaysia 2017 that the principal causes of death in the year 2016 was ischaemic disease (13.2 per cent), followed by pneumonia (12.5%), cerebrovascular diseases (6.9%), transport accidents (5.4%) and malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus & lung (2.2%).

Deaths due to ischaemic heart diseases recorded the highest percentage for males (15.3%), followed by pneumonia of 11.5%, 7.5% for transport accidents, cerebrovascular diseases accounts for 6.4% and 2.4% malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus & lung.

[13] The major cause of under 5 death in 2016 is due to certain conditions originating in the perinatal period and it is recorded at 35.0%, followed by 27.2% for congenital malformations, deformations & chromosomal abnormalities, pneumonia (3.8%), transport accidents (1.8%) and 1.1% accidental drowning & submersion.

As much as 77.0% of infant deaths were due to five principal causes of death which include certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (41.9%); 30.5% congenital malformations, deformations & chromosomal abnormalities; 3.0% of pneumonia; chronic lower respiratory disease (0.9%); and meningitis (0.7%).

However, the percentage of deaths due to obstetric embolism in 2016 recorded a decline from 27.4 to 23.0 per cent as compared to 2015.

40 million people each year die from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and accounted for 70% of global deaths annually.

The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia increased to 47.7% in 2017 from 32.6% in 2011 [17] Risk factors for noncommunicable diseases include tobacco use, reduced physical activity, excessive alcohol use and unhealthy food consumption.

Until 2014 the price of sugar was subsidised, but a tax on sweetened beverages is to be introduced from April 2019.