PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are urged to be more vigilant about undergoing regular health screenings as an early preventive measure to avoid delays in cancer detection.
Previously, the Health Ministry reported that over 60% of cancer patients in Malaysia were diagnosed at late stages (Stage Three and Four), leading to limited treatment options, emotional and financial burden on families, as well as strain on the national healthcare system.
“Records show that over 50,000 new cancer cases are reported every year in Malaysia, with breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancers among the most frequently diagnosed,” said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during the Bald and Beautiful Day 2025 event held at Lakeside Mall, Elmina, on Sunday (Sept 28).
He added that numerous screening initiatives had been jointly conducted by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
“The Health Ministry is also carrying out screenings through the Peka B40 and National Health Screening Initiative (NHSI) programmes.
“Our goal is to reach more than one million screenings to enable early detection of chronic diseases,” Dzulkefly said.
He added that efforts to raise awareness on the importance of regular health screenings through community-level programmes should be further expanded.
The Health Minister also expressed hope that the Finance Ministry would allocate sufficient funds for the health sector in Budget 2026, which is set to be tabled on Oct 10.
“Typically, we are among the top two ministries receiving the largest allocations. This year, we received RM45.27 billion,” he said.
On the Bald and Beautiful Day 2025 event, Dzulkefly said this year’s edition exceeded its fundraising target, collecting about RM320,000 to assist cancer patients.
“More importantly, it served as a platform to raise awareness and health literacy on cancer,” he added.
