BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed on Thursday that universal healthcare will be extended to stateless permanent residents of Brunei with immediate effect.
The cost of medical treatment for stateless permanent residents, including treatment for cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease, will now be borne by the government, which provides free medical care to all citizens.
Previously, stateless permanent residents could obtain medicines from public healthcare facilities at no charge, but would have to bear the cost of any surgeries.
They were also required to pay a BND$3 registration fee for each hospital or clinic visit, which has now been reduced to BND$1 per visit, in line with the fee paid by Brunei citizens.
“The policy update is in line with the commitment of His Majesty’s government to provide quality, inclusive and accessible health services to all levels of society,” MoH said in a press statement.
“With this update, it is hoped that [stateless persons] will be able to receive [medical] treatment without facing financial hardship.”
The policy shift will have a major impact on the stateless community, which numbers around 20,000, according to 2022 estimates from the Brunei government.
The Ministry of Health has asked stateless individuals seeking treatment at government-run health facilities to bring along their personal identification card or passport to facilitate the process.