Malaysia has a high-quality universal healthcare system, but rapid urbanisation and a growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases is making it difficult for urban public healthcare to cope with demand.

• One in five Malaysian adults suffer from diabetes
• Three in ten suffer from hypertension
• Four in ten have raised cholesterol levels

Malaysia also has the highest adult obesity rate in Southeast Asia.

Digital and frontier technologies offer a range of solutions to improve the management of non-communicable diseases and make urban public healthcare systems more efficient. Some examples include digital health screening tools, incentivising behaviour change towards healthier lifestyles through apps, digitising patient records, remote consultations, self-diagnosis and remote management of health conditions. Integrating healthcare data can enable evidence-based policymaking to better understand and manage public health.

This report identifies how digital health tools can enable Malaysia to improve its healthcare system, combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) more effectively, and better understand and manage public health by using integrated data. It also provides policy recommendations on how the government and regulators can facilitate the expansion of digital healthcare in the country.