Advancing Digital Healthcare Through National Collaboration

On 16 July 2026, ASM paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Health, YB Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, to discuss the Mission-Oriented Initiative (MOI) on Digital Healthcare Empowerment and explore opportunities for strategic collaboration to strengthen Malaysia’s digital healthcare ecosystem.

The ASM delegation, led by ASM President and STI Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Nation, Academician Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen FASc, briefed the Minister on the initiative’s vision to advance a more integrated, secure and sustainable digital healthcare landscape Central to the discussion was the National Electronic Medical Record (EMR), identified as a key strategic platform to support both healthcare delivery and public health management.

The meeting underscored the importance of adopting a mission-oriented approach to digital health transformation by bringing together government agencies, industry players, universities and other stakeholders to collectively address national healthcare challenges. The discussion emphasised that the initiative should take a whole-of-ecosystem approach, rather than being driven by any single organisation or sector.

Governance and policy considerations featured prominently in the discussion, particularly regarding artificial intelligence, data protection, cybersecurity, and vendor compliance. ASM emphasised that cybersecurity must be embedded by design within digital healthcare systems to ensure resilience, trust and long-term sustainability.

The discussion also explored mission-oriented project development, funding opportunities, intellectual property management and commercialisation pathways. These were identified as critical enablers in translating innovative ideas into impactful healthcare solutions that can be implemented at scale.

Both parties highlighted the need for early and continuous stakeholder engagement, recognising the importance of avoiding siloed initiatives and drawing lessons from previous projects and international best practices. As part of the next phase, ASM will continue engaging stakeholders, finalising governance arrangements and refining mission project scopes to support future implementation.

The Minister welcomed ASM’s proposals and expressed strong support for strategic collaboration to accelerate Malaysia’s digital healthcare transformation. ASM also welcomed the participation of the Ministry of Health and its agencies as key strategic partners in advancing the MOI and building a digitally empowered healthcare ecosystem for the nation.