THE findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 report recently announced by the Health Minister unfortunately confirms that Malaysians are currently living amidst a noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) crisis. The Health Ministry’s data is quite clear.
More than two million people are living with NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Half a million are living with those three NCDs plus obesity. Malaysia now has the highest rate of diabetes in the Western Pacific region and one of the highest in the world, and this is costing us around RM3.1bil annually.