Kuala lumpur: Sunway Medical Centre (SMC), Sunway City, has partnered with Klinik Kesihatan Taman Medan to participate in the Ministry of Health's National Health Screening Initiative (NHSI), with more than 900 of its staff undergoing health screenings over three days.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative aims to strengthen the early detection and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, through a public-private healthcare partnership. SMC chief executive officer Erica Lam stated that the initiative reflects the importance of proactive health management and timely medical intervention.

The screenings cover blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol checks. Female staff also underwent breast and human papillomavirus (HPV) screening for the early detection of breast and cervical cancers. The results will be recorded and made available via the MySejahtera application.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 highlights that more than half a million Malaysian adults, or 2.5 percent, are living with diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity simultaneously. The survey also found that two in five adults aged 18 and above had not undergone NCD screening in the preceding 12 months. Among women, 46 percent had not performed breast self-examination in the past year, while 65 percent of those aged 20 and above had not undergone a Pap smear test within the previous three years.

Head of Klinik Kesihatan Taman Medan and Family Medicine specialist Dr. Erleena Nur Hassan emphasized that early detection is key to preventing complications associated with NCDs. She noted that this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to making preventive healthcare more accessible and empowering the community to take charge of their health.

NHSI is an initiative under the Healthy Malaysia National Agenda aiming to detect, prevent, and manage NCDs through early intervention.