Govt to ease burden of cancer Patients: Minister
Published on: Sunday, October 20, 2019
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is committed to implementing measures to ease the burden of cancer patients, as more than 100,000 Malaysians suffer from the disease at any given time.
Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye (pic) said cancer could be physically, mentally and financially draining.
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“We will continuously seek solutions and implement measures to ease the patients’ burdens,” he said when launching the National Cancer Survivors’ Day organised by the National Cancer Society Malaysia at Ruang by Think City here Saturday (Oct 19).
He added that to ease the financial hardship of cancer patients, the price of Trastuzumab medication (for breast cancer treatment) had been decreased by more than 50% beginning this year.
Dr Lee also said early screening should be aggressively promoted to increase survival rates, as about 50pc of people suffering from the top five types of cancers only started to seek treatment at stage III and stage IV.
According to the Malaysian Study on Cancer Survival, prostate cancer tops the list of survival rate at 73pc, followed by breast cancer (67pc), colon (57pc), cervical (52pc), lymphoma (49pc), nasopharynx 46pc), and lung (11pc).
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To promote early detection, mySalam and Peka B40 insurance coverage would be extended to include a wider income group as well as greater age range.
“The middle class will also benefit from better protection against critical illnesses including cancer, and more people can enjoy free cancer screenings,” he said.
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He said Budget 2020 saw an increase in healthcare allocation.
“The RM30.6bil allocated for healthcare represents 10% of the overall government budget for next year,” he said.
The Health Ministry aspired to provide effective and personalised treatment for people living with cancer, in line with initiative to provide quality care as outlined in the National Cancer Control Plan, he said.
“We are taking urgent measures to reduce number of late presentations by encouraging more people to go for early screening and diagnosis.
“We also want to provide the best possible care for those who are already diagnosed, especially people suffering at the advanced or late stages of the disease,” he said.
“We are working towards a timely and equitable delivery of cancer therapy services, and ensuring these services are accessible to all across the country,” he said.
Dr Lee called on cancer survivors and patients to continue speaking up to highlight their needs.
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