Health and Safety in Malaysia

The country has high medical standards and facilities that provide services to travelers and local residents. Health insurance is highly suggested. Private hospitals offer a high standard of health care. The Ministry of Health has a goal to form partnerships for health, to value health and maintain their physical condition to have a healthier quality of life. And also the objectives are to offer sufficient and efficient health prevention, promotion, quick findings and punctual treatment of illnesses.

The main hospitals in the country are settled in Kuala Lumpur: General Hospital, Penang Adventist and Subang Jaya Hospital. There were around 2.0 hospital beds and 0.7 physicians for every 1,000 individuals as of 1999. As of 2005, the total 4.2% of GDP are spent on health expenses.

Health problem that are encountered by the children below 5 years of age are diphtheria, malnourished, measles, polio, tetanus and tuberculosis. Illnesses that are common to adults are HIV/AIDS (HIV incidence was 0.42 for every 100 adults as of 1999), malaria, rabies, Hepatitis A virus (case-casualty is more than 2% for those 40 years old in above), Hepatitis B virus (around 1% of cases are incurable), smoking (tobacco and marijuana), yellow and dengue fever (strikes in urban and rural areas). Another health risk in the country is air pollution, specifically in Kuala Lumpur, which has the most horrible air in Asia. It might cause cardiac or respiratory difficulties.