Health screening campaign seeks to encourage NCD screening in people above 40

Viatris Malaysia and the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) are organizing a free health screening campaign to encourage more people aged 40 and older to be screened for risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar ,  and high cholesterol.

[[good to spell-out/clarify “NCDs” – can copy and paste the ‘Overview’ from this WHO site (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases). If can afford more content – can even add risk factors (vs. NCDs)

Aptly themed with the title “SCREEN. DETECT. ACT,” the campaign will run for 3 months, from December 2022 to February 2023, and aims to encourage the public to be more proactive about their health. The primary objective is for them to conduct screenings to identify potential health risks and then take the necessary steps to manage and modify their lifestyles.

The campaign is in line with the National Health Screening Initiative (NHSI) 2022, which was launched by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia in July 2022 to address the low rate of health screening among the public. The pilot programme will roll out in the Klang Valley and Negeri Sembilan to a target of 1,000 people above 40 years of age and those at higher health risks.

Jeff Bote, country manager of Viatris Malaysia, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with MMA and contribute to the community through our SCREEN. DETECT. ACT campaign. Through this campaign, we will not only support the MOH’s target to screen 1.5 million people above 40 years for risk factors associated with NCD but also contribute towards Viatris’ mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life.”

He added that regular NCD screening is an important and proactive health management strategy. It aids in the identification of underlying issues and the prevention of medical complications by prompt treatment. “Effective and timely interventions can make a world of difference to one’s health.”

Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai, president of MMA, said the large number of Malaysians living with elevated blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels that do not go for medical check-ups is a cause for alarm. “The National Health and Morbidity Survey (which year?) shows that one-in-five adults or 3.9 million people aged 18 years and above in Malaysia suffer from diabetes, three-in-10 or 6.4 million people have high blood pressure, and four-in-10 people suffer from high cholesterol. 1.7 million people in Malaysia currently live with three major risk factors—diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol—which are key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the country. As such, we cannot over emphasize the importance of regular health checks.”

Muruga reiterated the MOH’s call for improved health screening and urged those over the age of 40, those at higher risk, and those who have not yet undergone a medical examination or health screening to take part in this screening campaign. Early detection and prompt treatment may reduce a person’s risk of complications and improve their prognosis.

The health screenings will be conducted free of charge at participating general practitioner clinics. For more information, contact MMA at 03-4041 1375 or 018-277 8794 (WhatsApp only) from Monday to Friday (9 am to 6 pm).