Diabetes time bomb

Star: SUNGAI SIPUT: Diabetes and end stage renal failure will soon become a big health problem in Malaysia if people fail to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said, currently, 8% of Malaysians are suffering from diabetes, and some 11,500 from end stage renal failure.
“Malaysians will have to start changing their lifestyle if they want to avoid becoming victims of diabetes and kidney problems later,” he said, adding that by 2050, 12% of Malaysians would suffer from diabetes while in 2010, 25,000 from kidney failure.
It had become a challenge for the ministry to lower the number of people suffering from diabetes and kidney failure, Dr Chua told reporters at Sungai Siput Hospital yesterday where he launched a haemodialysis unit.
“The ministry will focus on campaigns to promote a healthy lifestyle under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and instil the importance of maintaining good health,” Dr Chua said, adding that Malaysians made up the highest number of kidney failure patients among Asean countries.
On another matter, he said the ministry would not build more hospitals under the 9MP but would consolidate their services.
Later, Dr Chua said the ministry would build 507 health clinics under the 9MP.
“A sum of between RM600mil and RM700mil has been allocated to build the clinics,” he said, adding that current clinics would also be upgraded.
Dr Chua was speaking to reporters after presenting appointment letters to members of the health clinic advisory panel in Perak.
He said the emphasis for the soon-to-be built clinics would be practicality.