Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

SIPITANG: Health screening tests and early detection for cancer are crucial as an early treatment step, said Sipitang Assistant District Officer Nurfasiha Masri.

She said programmes like this are highly encouraged and a noble effort to empower the community, especially the residents of Sipitang, in raising awareness to care for each other’s health.

Nurfasiha said this when representing Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob in officiating the closing of the Makna Cancer Screening Roadshow (Sakan) and Health Screening organised by Sipitang District Health Office together with the District-level Advisory Panel and Kospen at the Multipurpose Hall, here.

Dr Yusof hopes that the people of Sipitang do not miss this opportunity to do cancer screening for free, saying that health screening is one of the ways to encourage community involvement in health programmes.

Meanwhile, Sipitang District Health Officer Dr Nik Nurliyana Nik Mohd Arif said the residents of Sipitang are lucky to be among the nine districts that have been selected by the Sabah Health Department (JKNS) this year to implement the MAKNA Cancer Screening Roadshow programme. 

According to her, JKNS also provides free health screening tests apart from free cancer screening. 

“Health screening is important so that we can identify existing health risks and at the same time prevent or treat early before the complications of a disease occur.

“We don’t want to act when a disease is severe or spreading. At that time, the treatment may be more difficult, the cost of treatment will be higher and could result in having to be treated for a long time in the hospital. Because of that, we need to prevent as early as possible,” she said.

Among the activities of the three-day programme were cancer talks, cancer screening/health screening, exhibitions, children’s colouring competitions, lucky draws and health quizzes.