MP proposes multi-stakeholder approach in addressing diabetes situation in Malaysia

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Dr Yii (fifth left) hands over the grant to a representative of Diabetes Malaysia Kuching.

KUCHING (May 22):The government needs to increase all efforts, including coming out with better policies and running more campaigns, in countering the rise in diabetes cases in the country.

In highlighting this, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has suggested the establishment of a multi-stakeholder approach in implementing a diabetes-management programme in the country, citing Australia and Switzerland as prime examples.

“Australia’s diabetes-management programme includes close to 20 organisations.

“The Switzerland’s QualiCCare project also follows a multi-stakeholder consortium approach that involves the Department of Health, patients organisations, physicians associations, payors and external experts.

“A well-executed central agency should be able to coordinate and accelerate implementation of national-level initiatives, manage allocations of resources, ensure financial discipline, and improve accountability, as well as to track, monitor and communicate the progress among various stakeholders,” said Dr Yii, who is also Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) chief, in a statement released in connection with a visit to Diabetes Malaysia Kuching Resource centre at Jalan Maxwell here recently.

According to him, there is still limited information about the disease and its severity, especially the complications deriving from it such as amputation of limbs, heart problems, kidney failure and nerve damage.

Adding on, he said the Ministry of Health must continue developing policies aimed at advocating healthy lifestyles to the people.

“The efforts also include empowering patients in improving their adherence to therapies, increasing public awareness of healthy living and encouraging positive lifestyle changes.

“On the ministry’s part, they can run more campaigns in schools and highlight the importance of having a healthy lifestyle right from a young age.

“Diabetes is now affecting more and more young people.”

On a related subject, the MP remarked that the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted the importance of awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes, with up to 88 per cent of deaths recorded involving those with NCDs.

“Based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, there are approximately 3.9 million Malaysians living with diabetes.

“The prevalence rate had risen from 13.4 per cent in 2015, to 18.3 per cent in 2019 – meaning that in every five adults in Malaysia, one has diabetes.

“This scenario has given Malaysia the infamous title of the ‘Sweetest Nation in Asia’,” he added.

Dr Yii said the figures could be higher, with the national prevalence rate having reached 21 per cent, with the percentage for Sarawak between 18 per cent and 19 per cent.

“Experts are estimating that seven million Malaysian adults were likely to have diabetes by 2025 – a worrying trend that could result in a prevalence rate of 31.3 per cent amongst those aged 18 and above.”

Dr Yii also said the first-ever Malaysian Diabetes Index (MDI), released in 2021, indicated that many Malaysians might not fully understand diabetes and its resultant complications.

“More than half (52 per cent) of respondents admitted not knowing that diabetes could not be cured, while 51 per cent of them thought diabetes as being not difficult to manage.

“Even more startling was that one in three respondents (37 per cent) with diabetes did not know what abnormal blood sugar level readings were,” he pointed out.

Dr Yii stated that chronic, long-term conditions such as diabetes would result in not only rising number of deaths, but also rising healthcare costs and incurring GDP losses.

“That is why it is important to take appropriate and timely steps to address the country’s diabetes challenge, which could impose a big impact on the nation’s health system and economy in years to come,” he added.