TB cases in Malaysia up by 17% last year, says Health Minister

PETALING JAYA: The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Malaysia increased by 3,664 cases or 17% in 2022 compared to 2021, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa (pic).

The Health Minister said Malaysia recorded a total of 25,391 TB cases in 2022 (a rate of 77.8 cases per 100,000 people) compared to 2021 which only saw 21,727 cases (a rate of 63.5 cases per 100,000 people).

"Malaysia also recorded 2,572 TB deaths in 2022, an increase of 284 deaths (12%) from 2021 which only saw 2,288 deaths.

"People who are in close contact with a TB patient, a HIV patient, heavy smokers or suffer from chronic hip and lung problems are encouraged to go for health screenings to detect this disease early," she said in a statement.

In conjunction with World Tuberculosis Day on Friday (March 24), Dr Zaliha said the government aimed to raise awareness about the disease as well as efforts to control it with the help of relevant parties.

"We ask for health personnels, government agencies, private and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to work together and help achieve Malaysia's goal of ending TB by the year 2035," she said.