Health Services
Health care services are available to everyone in Malaysia, but refugees and asylum-seekers often have to pay fees. At government health facilities, including public hospitals, UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum-seekers are charged 50% of the foreigners fee. Refugees and asylum-seekers can also visit the NGO clinics listed below, which charge lower fees but only offer primary care, meaning basic health services that do not require hospitalization.
The information below explains how refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia can access primary care and secondary care (for serious conditions that might require hospitalization), what free services are available to refugees and asylum-seekers at government health facilities, and how refugees and asylum-seekers should prepare for the birth of a child.
Primary Care
Primary care is initial, basic health services. If you are unwell, you should go to a primary health care clinic first. Do not wait until you are very sick, because then you may require much costlier treatment in hospital. Primary care clinics usually also provide vaccinations for children, antenatal care (for pregnant women), family planning services, and treatment for diabetes and hypertension. There are three kinds of primary health care clinics:
- Government health facilities – Klinik Kesihatan or Outpatient Departments (OPD) in government hospitals.
These government health facilities offer primary care services to refugees and asylum-seekers, but at fees equal to 50% of the foreigners fee for individuals registered with UNHCR. Individuals without UNHCR documents are charged the full foreigners fee. When UNHCR-registered individuals are provided medication at government health facilities, they can be given a full supply of medication, rather than the normal five days of medication given to other foreigners. You can show this MoH circular to request a full supply of medication.
- NGO clinics
The following NGO clinics offer primary care services to refugees and asylum-seekers at low fees. Some also hold mobile clinics that may be closer to where you live; please contact them directly to ask if they hold mobile clinics at a location convenient for you.
These are the names of NGO Clinics that you can visit. Click on the button to get more information on the address, telephone number, email, operating hours and services.
- Jalan Pudu > Tzu-Chi Free Clinic
- Klang >Tzu Chi Free Clinic
- Selayang >Tzu-Chi Mobile Clinic
- Brickfields > ACTS Clinic – Arrupe
- Sentul > Community Health Care Centre (CHCC) / PT Foundation
- Sentul > HOPE Worldwide Free Clinic
- Butterworth > Klinik Mewah 6
- Ampang > Klinik QFFD – MERCY Malaysia
- Kajang > Klinik QFFD – MERCY Malaysia
- Seri Kembangan > Klinik Amal Muhajir
- Subang Jaya > Klinik Kecheerian
- Private clinics
A private clinic may be the nearest point of primary care to you, but may charge higher fees than government or NGO clinics. Some private clinics which have kindly agreed to discount their fees for refugees and asylum-seekers, including clinics that are part of Qualitas Health Group, Care Clinic and Global Doctors (click on the links for clinic locations). Most of these private clinics accept any identification documents, including UNHCR documents or community cards or letters.
Secondary Care
Secondary care is required when someone has a serious medical problem that requires treatment or surgery in a hospital. This could be due to a medical emergency or trauma like a car or workplace accident, or a primary care clinic may refer you for secondary care if the clinic is unable to treat you. If you have a serious injury or illness, you should seek immediate medical attention at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of the nearest government hospital.
At government hospitals, UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum-seekers are required to pay a registration fee of MYR 50. Refugees and asylum-seekers who need to be admitted to stay in the hospital for in-patient treatment often have to pay a deposit ranging between MYR 700-1,400. Depending on how serious your condition is, the fees for treatment received in hospital may be higher than the deposit. UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum-seekers are charged 50% of the foreigners fee, but individuals without UNHCR documents are charged the full foreigners fee.
UNHCR Support For Secondary Care
The cost of secondary care can be very expensive for refugees and asylum-seekers. UNHCR and our partners have some limited funds to support secondary care for refugees and asylum-seekers with the most urgent and life-threatening medical conditions. If you require support to pay for secondary care, you can make a request directly to UNHCR’s partner – Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA). Please contact MRA directly via the following hotlines or email address with supporting documents related to your medical condition.
Email: socialworker1.mra@gmail.com / socialworker2.mra@gmail.com / socialworker3.mra@gmail.com
Call or WhatsApp: +6017 450 9163 / +6017 507 8923 / +6017 706 7367
This hotline is strictly meant for healthcare providers/NGO partners/refugees and asylum-seekers to enquire and request for medical assistance only. Please DO NOT contact this hotline to request for registration or resettlement.
Due to limited funds, only a small number of requests will be approved. Approvals are decided jointly by a Health Referral Committee made up of medical and non-medical representatives from UNHCR and 3 NGOs.
Note: MRA is not able to support any case requiring dialysis for kidney failure. Access to heart surgeries, angioplasty, and cancer treatment will also be dependent on the availability of funds.
Free Services at Government Health Facilities
Although refugees and asylum-seekers generally have to pay foreigners fees at government health facilities, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has waived fees for anyone in Malaysia seeking the following health services:
- Treatment for infectious diseases
Any refugee or asylum-seeker suspected or confirmed to be diagnosed with the following infectious diseases can seek treatment for free at government health facilities:
- Yellow fever
- Ebola
- Cholera
- Malaria
- Plague
- Typhoid
- Tuberculosis (only for first-line drugs)
- Influenza variants
- Polio
You can show this MoH circular at government health facilities to seek free treatment for infectious diseases.
- Children’s polio vaccination
Refugee and asylum-seeker children aged 7 and below can receive the Hexaxim combination (6-in-1) vaccination for free at government health facilities, without paying registration or injection fees. The Hexaxim vaccination protects children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and invasive diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). You can show this MoH circular to request the Hexaxim vaccination for free at government health facilities.
Childbirth in Malaysia
UNHCR is not able to provide financial support for childbirth. Normal pregnancy is not a medical condition that warrants expedited UNHCR registration for the pregnant woman. This means that refugees and asylum-seekers who are expecting a child but are not yet registered with UNHCR should prepare to pay the full foreigners fees of antenatal care and childbirth care at government health facilities. While the total fees at government hospitals may differ on a case-by-case basis, below are the estimated costs:
Please note that these are estimates and may not be the final amount charged by government hospitals.
For high-risk and complicated pregnancies, it is very important to receive timely care as advised by healthcare providers. Refugees and asylum-seekers with high-risk and complicated pregnancies should visit NGO clinics for further assessment and can contact MRA for financial support through the contact details above.
Refugees and asylum-seekers can seek family planning services in the NGO clinics. Antenatal care is also available to refugees and asylum-seekers at Qualitas Medical Group Antenatal clinics, which offer an Antenatal Screening Package.
Once your child is born, please visit Registering your Child for information on how to register the birth of your child and include them in your UNHCR file.
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