Stronger finances, stronger lives: building health through economic resilience

Health is the very essence of life that encompasses physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. Notably, a strong financial status ensures a decent quality of life as well as enables a person to make healthy investments towards achieving optimal health (Dongen, 2022). However, the rise in living costs and decreased access to healthcare can trap a person in a poverty and sickness cycle (Khaw et al., 2024). In Malaysia, inflation is the cause of the escalating cost of living and an increase in the price of goods and services. Consequently, the inflation trend in Malaysia is increasing, with rates recorded at 2.48% in 2021, 3.38% in 2022, 2.49% in 2023, and 1.83% in 2024 (Statista, 2025). This could be attributable to the expansion in key sectors such as housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel; restaurants and accommodation services; medical care; social protection; and other ancillary commodities and services (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2025).