The Medical journal of Malaysia
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The Malaysian health care system is a success story among countries of equivalent socio-economic status. However there are numerous challenges faced by the nation, which create the need for changes and reform. There is rising consumer demands and expectations for high technology and high cost medical care due to improved standards of living, changing disease patterns and demographic changes, inadequate integration of health services, maldistribution of resources and the threats as well as opportunities of globalisation and liberalisation. ⋯ The essential services in the health system of the future are information and education of individuals to empower support for the wellness paradigm. There is also a need to restructure the national health care financing and the health care delivery system. The present roles and responsibilities of MOH also need to be reviewed.