Ling (right) looking at a model of an Aedes mosquito during the event at SJK (C) Yok Poon in Pengerang.
THE Johor Health Department will double its effort to get more people, especially those in rural areas, to be screened for non-communicable diseases (NCD) under the national PeKa B40 programme.
State health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said that as of Sept 30, only 8.9%, or 68,478 people had been screened for NCD out of a total of 762,909 eligible individuals.
“We hope we can get help from the district officers and assemblymen in identifying and registering those eligible, so that the screening process will be easier regardless of whether they are in rural areas or even on the islands off Mersing.
“Since it was introduced in July this year, only 68,478 people have turned up for the health screening, and we hope that more will take advantage of this free service,” he said.
Ling said this when met after launching the Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat (ANMS) programme at SJK (C) Yok Poon in Pengerang.
The NCD screening is conducted under the PeKa B40 programme by Health Ministry and is the first prevention step for any disease.
The programme also provides free transportation service for those in rural areas to attend screening at health facilities, said Ling.
“There are some who are afraid to know their health status, but this exercise is important as it will give them advice on what to do once they are diagnosed with a certain disease.
“The free health screening is available at all government health facilities as well as private healthcare facilities that have partnered with us,” he added.
In May, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that starting July, free health screening for people aged 40 and above would be conducted to detect NCDs.
The ministry would screen about 1.5 million people who had never undergone health screening, including tests for colorectal cancer and breast cancer, at public and private clinics.
Meanwhile, Ling also shared that the Johor Health Department had prepared its standard operating procedures to aid flood victims at all temporary relief centres (PPS) when needed.
“Usually the district Health Department will send reports on what the needs are on the ground in terms of treatment for flood victims, and there will be medical officers on standby at all PPS that are open.
“We have also notified 67 health clinics that are located within flood hotspot areas to be ready to move their equipment and patients to other facilities when needed,” he said.
