PETALING JAYA: An agreement has been signed to obtain 88 million vaccine doses – equivalent to over 140% of the country’s population and enough to provide the third dose to everyone above the age of 12.

       The Health Ministry will get RM32.4bil under Budget 2022, the second highest after the Education Ministry, said Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

       An additional RM4bil will be provided for the management of Covid-19, he added.

       Of the RM4bil, Tengku Zafrul said RM2bil is to fund the Covid-19 immunisation programme and another RM2bil is to increase the capacity of public health service facilities, such as the purchasing of medication, health kits and personal protective equipment.

       “The government is also planning to procure antiviral drugs effective against various viruses, including Covid-19,” he said.

       The government, said the minister, also plans to provide tax exemptions for individuals and employers for self-funded Covid-19 booster shots.

       It also plans, he added, to expand the scope of income tax exemption for health checkups, including costs for consultations with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and licensed counsellors.

       Tengku Zafrul said RM100mil has been set aside to sponsor 3,000 contract medical and dental officers to pursue specialist training, adding that RM70mil will also be allocated for mental health programmes and support.

       “The government will strengthen the clinical management of rare diseases in Malaysia, such as lysosomal, and will work with the Red Crescent Society and St John’s Ambulance to improve access and response to ambulance services,” he said.

       Excise duty, said Tengku Zafrul, will be imposed on nicotine-based gel or liquid products for vapes and electronic cigarettes.

       “The government plans to broaden the scope of excise duty to include premix sugary drinks made from chocolate, malt, coffee and tea as a step towards a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

       Under the mySalam medical insurance scheme for the B40, he said 229,000 individuals affected by Covid-19 had received compensation totalling RM115mil.

       Tengku Zafrul said the mySalam special medical insurance scheme for the B40 community had so far paid out hospitalisation and critical illness claims of over RM180mil to 125,000 patients.

       “This year, the scope of the mySalam scheme has been extended to cover the claims of the cost of medical devices such as stents for the heart,” he said.

       “Next year, the mySalam scheme will also be extended to Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia – previously known as the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat – recipients, and the medical device cost claims will also be extended to the dependents of eligible mySalam recipients.”