The Health Ministry is ramping up efforts to cut waiting times for heart patients by expanding capacity, upgrading infrastructure, and modernising equipment at invasive cardiology laboratories (ICLs) across the country.
Health Deputy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib told the Dewan Negara that new ICLs at Malacca, Miri, Sibu, and Tawau hospitals are expected to be operational by 2027. Two additional ICLs at Sultan Idris Shah Hospital in Serdang are planned for 2028, complementing the seven existing laboratories. Equipment upgrades in 10 hospitals with cardiology services will also be carried out under the Third Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan to ensure the 26 current ICLs continue providing safe, high-quality angiogram and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) treatments.
Hanifah Hajar said the initiatives include expanding cardiothoracic operating theatres, optimising cardiac intensive care units (CICUs), and replacing high-tech equipment to gradually increase treatment capacity while reducing reliance on outsourcing.
The ministry is also boosting workforce development, with a parallel pathway for cardiothoracic surgery producing graduates since 2022 and Universiti Teknologi Mara set to produce its first graduates in 2027. The target is to add 45 new cardiothoracic surgeons by 2027, approaching the goal of 46 by 2028. Cardiology subspecialty training slots have doubled from 20 to 40 annually this year, aiming to increase the total number of cardiologists from 61 currently to 200 by 2030, accounting for attrition.
Hanifah Hajar added that more nurses and allied health staff are being encouraged to pursue advanced training to strengthen cardiac service support teams. Last year, outsourcing of heart cases to the National Heart Institute included 2,894 angiogram cases, 2,137 PCI procedures, 770 heart bypass surgeries, and 132 valve surgeries. Since 2024, 2,682 angiogram cases, 1,758 PCI procedures, and 900 heart bypass surgeries have been outsourced to private and university hospitals under the Hospital Services Outsourcing Programme.
