Kitafund reports over 50% rise in medical crowdfunding as Malaysians turn to donations for critical treatments.
PETALING JAYA: Medical crowdfunding in Malaysia has surged by more than 50% between 2019 and 2022, as more families turn to public donations to pay for critical healthcare, according to local platform Kitafund.
Its director Adiba Nur’ain Shaharuddin said the number of medical-related campaigns has spiked since the pandemic, with growing appeals to help treat cancer, organ-related conditions and long-term neurological diseases.
“We’ve seen more families turning to crowdfunding not because they want to but because they have no other option.
“Most are from low and middle income households that have already exhausted other financial aid avenues,” she told theSun.
Adiba said Kitafund has handled several organ transplant related cases, particularly infant liver transplants, but added that most of such operations are fully funded by the government through public hospitals.
“Most are covered entirely by government hospitals. The donations we collect are usually meant to cover follow-up treatments, long-term medications and support equipment used during or after surgery.”
She said cases requiring overseas treatment remain rare as most patients receive care domestically within the public healthcare system.
“While the majority of campaigns remain domestic, only one or two cases each year involve treatment overseas as Kitafund’s direct-payment policy requires hospitals to receive funds directly from the platform, a process not always accepted by foreign institutions.”
Adiba said most medical crowdfunding funds go towards follow-up care, rehabilitation and long-term medication, especially for children and post-surgery patients.
“We are also seeing more campaigns involving young children, a worrying sign of deteriorating community health,” she added.
She said the collective empathy of Malaysians remains strong, with most donors contributing between RM10 and RM50 per campaign.
However, not all campaigns succeed as visibility and reach often determine outcomes.
“Crowdfunding has become a symbol of solidarity. But it also reminds us how fragile access to healthcare can be when survival depends on public generosity.”
On Oct 17, theSun reported on 16-year-old Meera Bernadette, a liver cancer patient, whose story moved Malaysians nationwide after her family sought RM300,000 for a life-saving liver transplant in India.
Within just five days, her family reached their fundraising goal, enabling Meera to undergo the procedure at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi on Nov 12.
The campaign also drew support from Hamidi’s Comrades in Charity (HCIC), a volunteer group that helped share Meera’s story and mobilise contributions.
HCIC secretary Hamidi Mookkaiyah Abdullah said the group collected about RM12,000, while most donations were channelled directly to an account belonging to Meera’s mother.
“We thank everyone who contributed, including theSun, for helping raise awareness,” said Hamidi.
“This shows how much good can be achieved when people come together and that is something truly worth celebrating.”
