Sabah Health Infrastructure UpgradesSabah Health Infrastructure Upgrades Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad reported that 15 of the 58 dilapidated health centers in Sabah have been fully upgraded. The government has allocated RM21.5 million for the upgrades of these wooden clinic buildings. The remaining 43 clinics are currently being upgraded and are expected to be completed by November 2024. Expansion of State Hospitals Tawau Hospital and Sandakan Hospital will be converted into state hospitals with higher levels of specialization to address the gap in facilities and expertise. The new Tawau Hospital project is expected to be handed over to the Ministry of Health in August. Emphasis on Healthy Lifestyles The MADANI Afiat program and Healthy Malaysia National Agenda Tour aim to promote healthy lifestyles and increase health literacy. National health initiatives have led to a significant increase in health check-ups, indicating growing awareness in the state. Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Health Minister Dzulkefly highlighted the high prevalence of NCDs in Malaysia, citing statistics from the National Health and Morbidity Survey. He emphasized the need for early detection, intervention, and lifestyle modifications to prevent and manage these conditions. Economic Impact of NCDs The government spends billions of dollars annually on NCD-related healthcare, with significant indirect costs. The impact on the economy is estimated at two percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Conclusion The government’s efforts to upgrade health infrastructure and promote healthy lifestyles are aimed at improving the health outcomes of Malaysians. The expansion of state hospitals and the focus on NCD prevention and management are significant steps towards providing accessible and quality healthcare services.
TAWAU, July 6 (Bernama) – Fifteen of the 58 dilapidated health centres in Sabah have so far been fully upgraded, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The government through the Ministry of Health (MOH) has allocated RM21.5 million to upgrade the 58 clinics, which were part of 70 wooden clinic buildings in the state, he added.
“The remaining 43 clinics are currently being upgraded and we hope to complete this by November 2024.
“We are also monitoring 58 out of the 70 wooden health centres, we are tackling all of them and will continue with them in 2025, and all the upgrades will cost RM31.6 million,” he told reporters after inaugurating the state-level MADANI Afiat programme and Healthy Malaysia National Agenda Tour programme today.
He said the programme was aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles as a measure to prevent diseases and increase health literacy, including early health checks.
“Based on data, health check-ups under Sabah’s national health initiatives have increased from 1,017,095 (2022) to 1,538,727 (2023), indicating a growing awareness level in the state,” said Dr Dzulkefly, adding that efforts to raise the health level required a nationwide approach.
He also announced that Tawau Hospital and Sandakan Hospital will be converted into state hospitals with high level of specialization. This step will bridge the large gap in facilities and expertise. The new Tawau Hospital project will be handed over to the Ministry of Health in August.
During his speech, Dr Dzulkefly said that last year’s National Health and Morbidity Survey revealed that many Malaysians suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“One in two Malaysians is overweight, one in three Malaysians has high cholesterol (33.3 percent), high blood pressure (29.2 percent) and one in six has diabetes (15.6 percent).
“Most of them are due to two factors: improper and unbalanced diet and unhealthy lifestyle. In total, one in seven Malaysians have kidney problems due to lack of early detection and intervention,” he said, adding that 9,000 new patients resort to dialysis every year to stay alive.
The government, he said, spends RM9.65 billion directly on NCD annually, while indirect costs amount to RM12.9 billion.
“The impact on our economy is RM22.5 billion per year, or two percent of our gross domestic product (GDP). Imagine how many roads, houses and clean water supply could be brought to Sabah if we did not have to spend on preventable diseases,” he added.
–BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides current, authentic and comprehensive news and information distributed through BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on channels Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 and BERNAMA Radio on frequencies FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching).
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter: @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram: @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok: @bernamaofficial
