Madhya's Gift: The Yayasan Chow Kit's children's health fund partners with the Ministry of Finance

Hartini reiterates that most of these children are non-citizens denied access to equal treatment and health services as they have no insurance. Often, they would have to pay a deposit that can balloon up to 10 times higher than what an average Malaysian child needing the same care has to fork out.

"This issue has culminated in many deaths because the children never got the treatment required in time. By the time they manage to raise the money, it would have been five months down the road, and their conditions would have gotten worse," laments Hartini about the restrictive policies surrounding access to hospitals for refugee or undocumented children.

Madhya's Gift is named after an 11-month-old Afghan refugee who was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. She only got treatment months later, once a hefty deposit was paid. She later moved to Australia to seek less costly medical solutions but sadly, she passed away shy of her third birthday in 2020.

Envisioned as a virtual hospital for the poor and marginalised children, Madhya Gift urgently requires collaborative efforts among healthcare providers, technology companies, and community organisations. By providing access to medical care and health resources, Madhya's Gift can help to bridge the gap between the underserved communities and quality healthcare services.

Recently, the Ministry of Finance, through Penjana Kapital—an agency aimed at accelerating Malaysia's economic recovery—has also expressed its support for the programme. The government agency will assist with strategic planning as well as identifying and pitching potential partners for funding.

Nevertheless, any form of help is always welcome. "We're also looking to partner with insurance companies to provide co-costing or insurance for these children. We want to see if we can work out a micro-insurance plan to cover things like after-care," Hartini says.