700,000 unaware they have diabetes

Star: IPOH: Some 700,000 diabetics are “silent sufferers” without knowing that there is medical help available for them.
Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said free health checks should be organised so that they could be identified.
He said over two million Malaysians suffer from diabetes.
“One-third of them are unaware that they are suffering from the condition,” he said after opening a health camp in Pantai Remis.
The health camp was jointly organised by the ministry and the Chin Tai Kok Moral Uplifting Society.

On the Alor Star Hospital, which had its opening postponed for the sixth time this year, Lee said the ministry was at the final stage of carrying out safety tests on the hospital.
“Once we are confident that the hospital is safe, we will take vacant possession of it from the Public Works Department,” he said.
According to press reports, the contractor for the RM565mil hospital in Langgar had asked for a further extension to test the new medical equipment.
The hospital was to be operational by Dec 15, 2003.