Child health in Malaysia.

Malaya achieved its independence in 1957; in 1963 it combined with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore (which seceded two years later) to form Malaysia. Today, Malaysia is a country in transition and thus has health problems ofboth undeveloped and developed countries. The main provider of health care in the country is the Ministry of Health through its extensive network of health centres, rural clinics, urban polyclinics, maternal and child health clinics, and district and general hospitals. Private hospitals currently account for about 15% of the total number of acute beds.1 While the foundation for health care systems in the country was laid during the British rule, much progress has been made since independence and the formation of Malaysia. One of the goals of the government's '2020 Vision' is to provide access to health facilities to all its people. Paediatric specialty services in Malaysia are available under the Ministry of Health in general hospitals, which are the main hospital of each state, and in some larger district hospitals. The Paediatric Institute, which officially opened in 1992, is the only children's hospital and provides paediatric subspecialty services and serves as the ultimate referral centre for the whole country. This service is supplemented by paediatric departments in the three university hospitals and by a few private hospitals that are usually located in big cities. The National Heart Institute was opened in the same year and serves as a major cardiac referral centre for both children and adults.