Health Ministry seeks to close trauma care gaps between peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak

Health director-general Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab speaks at the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) annual dinner at a hotel in Ipoh on September 12, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Sunday, 13 Sep 2026 1:06 PM MYT

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 13 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to develop a more integrated national trauma network to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right place and at the right time, regardless of where they are in Malaysia.

Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab said the initiative was important to ensure a more interconnected trauma care system while narrowing access gaps between urban and rural areas, as well as Sabah and Sarawak.

He said the trauma chain of survival must be strengthened comprehensively, from bystander response and first aid at the scene to pre-hospital emergency medical services and transportation, resuscitation at the Emergency Department, definitive trauma care and rehabilitation.

“The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We need seamless coordination across all these stages, with the right skills, adequate resources and the right system working together as one continuum of care,” he said when launching the Malaysian Trauma Conference (MTC) 2026 here today.

He said access to quality trauma care should not depend on a patient’s location, as every Malaysian deserved timely and appropriate trauma care.

Meanwhile, he said up to 30 per cent of trauma deaths were considered preventable based on the first National Trauma Registry report published in 2008.

Dr Mahathar, who was among the report’s co-authors, said the situation highlighted the need for a comprehensive transformation of the country’s trauma care system, stressing that “in trauma, every second, every minute counts”.

He said trauma remained a major public health challenge, particularly among the younger and working-age population, with transport-related injuries continuing to be a major contributor to preventable deaths.

He added that trauma care was also becoming increasingly complex as Malaysia moved towards an ageing population, with more patients presenting with multiple non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

“These NCDs significantly influence how patients respond to trauma, how quickly they deteriorate and how they recover. Therefore, we can no longer look at trauma care in isolation,” he said.

Dr Mahathar said the National Trauma Transformation Conference Roadshow (NTTR) 2025-2026, involving six locations across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, was implemented to address these challenges systematically by aligning local clinical practices with global benchmarks, sharing best practices and promoting continuous quality improvement.

He stressed that MOH’s challenge now was not merely to produce policies and guidelines, but to translate them into effective and actionable implementation plans.

“Our challenge is not about producing policies and guidelines. Our challenge is translating policies and guidelines into actionable implementation plans. In trauma management, this is not an option,” he said.

He said strengthening trauma care also required a whole-of-society approach involving government agencies, the private sector, NGOs, academia and local communities, with the focus extending beyond treatment to injury prevention.

“This includes strengthening injury prevention, safety advocacy, public education and targeted interventions, particularly for road traffic and occupational injuries. Prevention must be an integral part of our national trauma strategy,” he said.

He added that the ultimate goal was to ensure that when a serious injury occurred, the system was ready, healthcare personnel were prepared, services were connected and patients received the care they needed without delay. — Bernama