Materia Medica Malaysiana

Heart disease biggest killer in Malaysia
From IRNA:
Kuala Lumpur, June 19, IRNA -- Heart disease was the leading cause
of certified medical deaths in Malaysia in 2001 and 2002, accounting
for 15.76 percent and 15.99 percent of deaths reported at government
hospitals in the two previous years, Health Minister Chua Jui Meng
told the parliament here on Thursday.
In 2001, there were 23,561 deaths reported in government hospitals
and 25,377 last year.
Other leading causes of death in both years were septicemia,
malignant neoplasm, cerebrovascular diseases and accidents, Chua
said.
Chua was asked about the types of diseases which were the leading
causes of death in the country and how many deaths had been caused by
the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and dengue.
Chua said only two deaths this year were caused by SARS and 11
confirmed deaths caused by dengue fever in the first three months of
this year.
Last year, dengue killed 57 people, 50 in 2001 and 45 in 2000.