The government will roll out the National Digital Health Ecosystem and Connectivity Catalyst (PERSADA) initiative across 150 government hospitals and 2,488 public healthcare facilities nationwide by 2028, in a move aimed at accelerating Malaysia’s healthcare digital transformation.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said PERSADA will be implemented in two phases through a collaboration between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
He said the initiative will focus on improving internet coverage and connectivity quality at public healthcare facilities while strengthening the implementation of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to support seamless patient care.
The programme will also expand telehealth services through the integration of the Malaysia Virtual Health Assistant System (MyVAS) with the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI), while exploring the use of drones for medical deliveries to remote and hard-to-reach areas.
“PERSADA is expected to accelerate treatment processes, shorten waiting times, strengthen health information sharing and expand access to more efficient and integrated healthcare services nationwide,” he said.
Dzulkefly said the initiative would bring significant benefits to rural communities by enabling patients in remote areas to obtain healthcare advice without travelling long distances.
He added that digital transformation would also allow doctors to access patient records instantly, enabling more accurate clinical decisions and faster follow-up treatment for chronic disease patients through integrated health data systems.
