Health screenings on wheels

New Straits Times SUNWAY Group, in collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), launched its second mobile health screening bus here, recently.
The NKF LifeCheck mobile unit is a customised 40-seater bus that provides basic health screenings on early detection and prevention of kidney-related diseases for the public.

The bus has seven work stations designed to carry out various tests including blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar, cholesterol, as well as provide counseling.

The mobile unit will cover urban, suburban areas and rural areas in Klang Valley.

Present at the launch was Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, who said the rise of kidney disease in the country needs to be addressed.

He said the funding for the vehicle was from the NKF's 40th Anniversary Charity Dinner which was held in 2010.

"From the charity dinner, we raised RM877,380 to fund this second NKF LifeCheck mobile unit.

"Healthcare has always been Sunway's way of giving back to the community.

"Our partnership with NKF is an example of how we work to raise awareness on leading a healthy lifestyle.

He said nearly 15 per cent or 4.2 million Malaysians are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

Last year, 4,000 Malaysians was diagnosed with the disease.

"Today, 24,000 patients require dialysis treatment. This growing number of patients is alarming.

"What is worse is people who are affected only find out about the disease in the later stages of the illness when treatment is less successful.

"So with early detection, it will help prevent and reduce the number of cases," said Cheah.

He said the first mobile unit was launched in 2008 with RM780,000 raised through one of their charity dinners.

NKF Board of Directors chairman Datuk Dr Zaki Morad Mohd Zaher said currently NKF has 1,450 dialysis patients receiving subsidised dialysis treatments at its 25 dialysis centres.

"Unless one goes for health screenings, the disease is unlikely to be detected.

"Among the common kidney-related diseases are diabetes and high blood pressure," said Zaki.

He said that in Malaysia, the number of dialysis patients have tripled from 7,837 in 2001, to 22,932 in 2010.

They were mostly diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension.

NKF has screened more than 140,000 members of the public throughout the country since the first mobile unit was launched.

"While there are no charges, we encourage people to contribute by having a donation box for those generous enough to donate," he said.

For details on the health screening venues, visit www.nkf.org.my.