Cover Dr Khor Swee Kheng serves as the CEO of Angsana Health
Dr Khor Swee Kheng serves as the CEO of Angsana Health
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Co-founder of both the Malaysian Health Coalition and Angsana Health, Dr Khor Swee Kheng shares his vision for better healthcare
A Malaysian physician with international experience in the public, private, non-profit, and think-tank sectors, Dr Khor Swee Kheng is also the co-founder of the Malaysian Health Coalition (MHC.)
“Back in 2020, there was a brief moment when Malaysia didn’t have a prime minister or a health minister due to a political transition. As such, together with some colleagues in the field, we believed that uniting the health professions was crucial to protect public health and strengthen our health system in apolitical ways, especially during an uncertain pandemic,” says Khor, explaining the reason behind the inception of MHC.
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The MHC essentially aims to enhance healthcare quality, accessibility, and affordability in Malaysia. “There are 53 member societies and NGOs in the MHC now, comprising doctors, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, paramedics, speech therapists, psychologists, and many other allied healthcare professionals,” shares Khor.
He also emphasises that MHC isn’t intended to replace these important and well-established organisations but rather to provide a platform for advocacy on broader public health topics and concerns.
“Traditionally, these professional societies generally advocate on issues within their respective disciplines and professions. The MHC enables these professional societies to come together on topics that concern everyone—like evidence-based policy-making, sustainable funding for healthcare, and better terms of service for all health professionals,” he says.
Khor is also the co-founder of Angsana Health, which aims to provide digital primary care solutions. “Currently, we are delivering digital solutions for autism, dementia, fatty liver, and tuberculosis by partnering with GP clinics. In 2024, we hope to raise a healthcare investment fund to help clinician-entrepreneurs in expanding access to digital health services in Malaysia and Southeast Asia,” he explains about Angsana Health.
In an ideal world, Khor believes that healthcare must address certain issues. The perfect system would ensure fair compensation and a positive work environment for health professionals. Plus, it requires sustainable funding from diversified sources, accountable use of funds, and shared responsibility among government, companies, insurers, and citizens. Also, the system should be organised to achieve national health goals by striking a balance between public-private healthcare and integrating primary-secondary care within the community, spanning across clinics and hospitals.
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