Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says the resilience of Malaysia’s rare disease community embodies the spirit of independence and inspires others
KUALA LUMPUR: The resilience of the rare disease community in not giving up when faced with health and life challenges reflects their spirit of independence and should serve as an inspiration to all, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
In his 2026 National Day message, he said those living with rare diseases required extraordinary resilience to overcome the health and life challenges they faced every day.
“Having a rare disease means you are special, unique and possess extraordinary strength that others may not have.
“MOH (Ministry of Health) remains committed to supporting and streamlining healthcare services so that none of you are left behind,” he said in a video clip uploaded on Facebook today.
Dzulkefly said the group was not only fighting for themselves, but their resilience in facing health and life challenges also reflected their spirit to remain steadfast and to not give up.
He said true independence was not just about being free from physical occupation or marked by cries of “Merdeka” and flag waving, but also encompassed inner resilience in facing every challenge with patience and an undiminished spirit.
“Continue to dream, stay steadfast and keep moving forward. Because you are ‘rare’, you are ‘real’, and you will always be with us,” he said in the message conveyed to young people, parents, caregivers, heroes of the rare disease community, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and advocacy groups nationwide.
Malaysia will celebrate its 69th National Day tomorrow with the theme “Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmat”.
