Materia Medica Malaysiana

Concern over Sabah child cancer cases

Kota Kinabalu: Women and children in Sabah, who constituted main cancer patients referred to the National Cancer Council (MAKNA), would be accorded financial assistance for their medical treatment. Most of the cancer cases among children involved blood-related afflictions such as leukaemia, while women were found to be suffering from breast and cervical cancer.

MAKNA President, Datuk Mohd Farid Ariffin, disclosed this in a press conference after receiving a total donation of RM50,000, raised by Proton Edar Dealers’ Association Malaysia (PEDA) and Shell Malaysia, at Sutera Harbour Resort and Spa here Friday.

According to him, the cases were referred MAKNA by the general hospital here.

He noted that cancer cases in Sabah have reached an alarming stage, with the number of cases increasing, but did not elaborate.

Last week, MAKNA approved seven new cancer cases from Sabah for financial assistance and medical support.

Those cases referred to them involved patients who could not afford the costs of treatment, he said. He said MAKNA would strive to process the cancer cases referred to them within 14 days to enable the money to be remitted into the patients’ bank accounts.

“The seven new cases were referred to us from the welfare officer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here. This is the normal procedure throughout the country.

“We investigated the economic background of families in each case and found that most of them were living below the monthly income level of RM500,” he said.

Most of these patients were unable even to go to the hospital for treatment due to financial constraints, he added.

“Normally, cases that have been approved by MAKNA would receive assistance for over one year, including paying for their fares and medication, depending on the doctor’s recommendations.

“We would even give RM3,000 a year for the transportation cost or RM200 per month to meet the expenses, including medical treatment,” he said. According to him, national non-profit organisations have helped 6,000 to 7,000 cancer cases so far.

Apart from that, Farid said MAKNA also conducts researches with universities and medical associations in a joint effort to detect cancer causes and seek remedial solutions.

Launching the First National Cancer Registry Report early this month, Federal Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng revealed alarming facts about cancer cases in Malaysia, saying one in four Malaysians would suffer from cancer in his or her lifetime, with an annual increase of 40,000 cases.