KUALA LUMPUR: The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) and the Health Ministry (MOH) today launched the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) hubs with four hospitals and a medical institution.
The four hospitals are Putrajaya Hospital, Tunku Azizah Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Bera Hospital in Pahang and Rembau Hospital, Negeri Sembilan as well as the National Cancer Institute.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba(pix) said the hubs take the role of handling critical medical sector and health care in Malaysia through technology including the use of robotics such as the automated guided vehicle (AGV) and drone complete with artificial intelligence.
“The health technology hub is important to give focus to the creation of a complete ecosystem with hospital facilities, research and referral centre, highly skilled manpower, an academic and training centre as well as on related matters, he said.
He said this when launching the NTIS hub at MRANTI Park, Bukit Jalil today which was also attended by Heallth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The NTIS Health Technology Hub is an initiative of MOSTI with Malaysia Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) as its main secretariat.
All health technology hubs would get access to site test, matching and regulatory facilities with innovators to develop technological solutions which revolutionise the innovation ecosystem conducively.
At the ceremony, Dr Adham also announced that the hubs would be supported by a four-hectare MRANTI Integrated Health Care Cluster which among others is aimed at expediting exploration and development in health care and medical technology.
Meanwhile, Khairy said it is hoped the implementation of NTIS Technology Hubs would uncover potential from various parties to overcome growing public health challenges and to provide high quality health care in the country.
“This is part of the big vision of the Ministry of Health to move away from sick care to healthcare and wellness…for too long we’ve spent too much money in the curative side of healthcare, sick care basically, treating people once they become sick.
“We need to shift some of that investment into keeping people healthy, making sure they don’t fall sick,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khairy during a press conference said Negeri Sembilan will be the first state to go paperless or implementing full electronic medical records in all its public hospitals and clinics.
“We will be choosing the vendors soon based on an open tender and we will upgrade and deploy new electronic medical records in all public hospitals in Negeri Sembilan as well as health clinics. Once that deployment is successful, we will be able to go nationwide,” he said.-Bernama
