MOH, IHH Healthcare Malaysia Ink MoU To Expand Free Cancer Treatment For 500 Patients

PUTRAJAYA, July 7 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry (MOH) and IHH Healthcare Malaysia signed their third Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, aimed at strengthening a strategic public-private partnership to improve access to advanced cancer treatment.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the agreement will enable an additional 500 cancer patients to receive high-quality radiotherapy and radiosurgery at no cost, through services delivered by MOH oncologists and neurosurgeons via IHH’s facilities.

“This agreement also brings the total number of participating IHH facilities to eight hospitals, including the newly added Island Hospital in Penang, which are equipped with Gamma Knife and LINAC technologies allowing for precise, high-impact treatment, especially for tumours located in sensitive areas,” he said after the MoU signing ceremony.

The MoU was signed by MOH secretary-general Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad and IHH Healthcare Malaysia chief executive officer Jean-François Naa.

Dzulkefly said the collaboration, first established in 2022, has benefited 1,000 cancer patients nationwide so far.

“This collaboration is a concrete step toward closing the access gap for underserved and lower-income groups. It also reflects Malaysia’s broader commitment to Universal Health Coverage, where cancer care is not treated as a privilege but as a right.

“We should never allow a patient’s health outcome to be dictated by where they live or how much they earn,” he said.

Dzulkefly said from 2020 to 2024, the Malaysia National Cancer Registry recorded more than 165,000 new cancer cases, with breast, colorectal, lung, lymphoma and liver cancer being the most common.

“Alarmingly, over 60 per cent of cases are detected at late stages, when treatment is more complex, costly, and less effective,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by MOH, the types of cancer treated under the MoU include brain tumours, brain metastases, head and neck cancers, as well as various other cancers such as lung, breast, colorectal and lymphoma.

It said the MoU would serve as a catalyst in strengthening public-private partnerships, further supporting the ministry’s efforts in combating cancer and expanding access to care and treatment for cancer patients in the country through continued cooperation between the MOH and IHH Healthcare Malaysia.

“This initiative is also aligned with the National Strategic Plan for Cancer Control, which prioritises early detection, effective treatment, palliative care and broad system coordination to reduce the national cancer burden,” the statement read.

-- BERNAMA