Kuala lumpur: Nearly 70 per cent of participants in last year’s free health screening under the Health Care Scheme for the B40 Group (PeKa B40) were found to have at least one non-communicable disease (NCD), providing a clear warning of the silent health crisis plaguing the country.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Head of Benefit Package and Pricing, Strategic Purchasing Department at ProtectHealth Corporation, Dr Yussni Aris @ Haris, reported that last year, a total of 301,650 individuals were screened through PeKa B40, and 25 per cent were found to have two or more NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity. This data reveals an increase in ‘multimorbidity’ cases among the low-income group, indicating the high risk they face, often without knowing they are suffering from these diseases.
Dr Yussni highlighted findings from the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), which unveiled a troubling trend: 2.5 per cent of Malaysian adults suffer from all four major NCDs simultaneously, while two out of five people with diabetes remain unaware of their condition until screened. The increase in NCDs poses a significant threat not only to individual health but also to the country’s overall productivity.
She further stated that a 2022 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed that NCDs contributed to 74 per cent of deaths in Malaysia, predominantly affecting the productive age group between 35 and 64. If the trend persists, more individuals will face complications such as stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure, which are not only costly to treat but also strain the country’s healthcare system and the patients’ families.
Launched on May 31, 2019, only 1.6 million Malaysians from the B40 group have benefited from free health screenings under the Health Care Scheme (PeKa B40) as of May 31, this year. The scheme offers comprehensive health screenings to 6.9 million recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), with ongoing efforts to promote early prevention awareness among the community.
To extend the reach of screenings, Dr Yussni noted that ProtectHealth had formed strategic partnerships with 3,979 private clinics, 1,044 Ministry of Health (MOH) health clinics, 149 government hospitals, and 211 private laboratories. This initiative includes community outreach programmes and door-to-door visits to ensure high-risk and low-income groups are not overlooked.
ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (ProtectHealth) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProtectHealth Malaysia under the Ministry of Health (MOH), established on Dec 19, 2016. The company is tasked with coordinating, administering, and managing various healthcare service financing initiatives mandated by MOH, including PeKa B40, MADANI Medical Scheme, and Hospital Services Outsourcing Programme (HSOP).