A 2016 World Bank study found that homophobia alone was estimated to cost India’s economy up to $32 billion a year, approximately 1.7% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Such targeted stigma, discrimination and criminalisation inevitably lead to the further marginalisation of an already marginalised community, which is a disaster for public health.
Increasing existing treatment coverage and the quality of care available should not be described by mere words, rhetoric and grand announcements but by firm commitments from both the public and private sector.
What needs to urgently improve is the availability, affordability and accessibility of new and improved treatments for diseases such as cancer and rare diseases.
Supporting healthcare innovation helps ensure that there is motivation and incentive into the treatment of less common ailments such as rare diseases. People with these diseases should not be left behind.
Malaysia has one of the highest gender step gap out of 46 countries observed, ranking third place in high activity inequality between genders (just below Saudi Arabia and Qatar).
We need to discuss how we can move forward, address concerns related to intellectual property protections, and support the government’s agenda of ongoing national healthcare reform.