Rates of NCD in Malaysia worrying - Dr Dzulkefly

PORT DICKSON, July 6 (Bernama) -- The rates of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in Malaysia are now at a worrying stage, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He said based on the National Health Morbidity Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) once in every five years, the percentage of adults suffering from diabetes had risen from 8.3 per cent in 1996 to 17.5 per cent in 2015.

The percentage of adults suffering from hypertension remained around 30 per cent during the same period, he said.

“Smoking and obesity are among the factors for these two diseases.

“Hence, the MOH will strive to curb the rising rates of NCD among members of the public, including by combining the community health empowerment programmes such as the Komuniti Sihat Pembina Negara programme, the Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi) programme and the PeKa: B40 programme which offers early screening for NCD,” he told reporters after launching the Kampungku Sihat programme here today.

Also present were Port Dickson Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Negeri Sembilan Health, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairman S. Veerapan.

Dr Dzulkefly said NCD had also been among the causes of premature death (at the average age of 75) for people in Malaysia. 

As such, he called on the public to inculcate a culture of personal responsibility for health by undergoing voluntary health screening, living a healthy lifestyle and avoiding tobacco smoking.

The Kampungku Sihat programme is a MOH’s initiative in a bid to enhance public awareness on the importance of preventing NCD. 

-- BERNAMA