A multi-sectoral stakeholder consultation meeting on cancer was convened in July 2018 to compile key policy recommendations towards improving cancer treatment and care for consideration by the Government of Malaysia.

More than 80 percent of these recommendations came from patients and their caregivers.

Five policy recommendations were identified as being short-term which can be achieved with minimal effort (low hanging fruit): benchmarking cancer care provision performance based on exis

ting World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, removal of dual referral charges and standardization of treatment fees across public healthcare, improving the quality and availability of national cancer data, and providing medical and non-medical support to low-income and resource-limited patients.

Eight areas for long-term recommendations were also identified which require greater reforms to policies, strategies and services on cancer care: ensuring stronger and improved government accountability, monitoring and evaluation over the implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Cancer Control Programmes (NSPCCP), establishing multi-sectoral consultative and partnership mechanisms, decentralising cancer care, adopting sustainable healthcare financing strategies, reforming Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) legislation and regulations relating to cancer, improving policies related to public drug procurement, increasing coverage of oncology and cancer treatment-related services and availability of relevant healthcare professionals, and and establishment of cancer survivorship services as part of cancer care.

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