OVER 4,000 CANCER CASES RECORDED IN MELAKA SINCE 2022, SAYS NGWE

MELAKA, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- Cancer cases in Melaka have shown an increase over a period three years, with a total of 4,325 new cases recorded since 2022, said State Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem.

He said that out of that total, 1,376 cases were recorded in 2022, increasing to 1,429 cases in 2023 and 1,520 cases in 2024.

Ngwe said the three types of cancer that recorded the highest percentages in the state during that period were breast cancer (17.2 per cent), colorectal cancer (16 per cent) and lung cancer (9.2 per cent).

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Melaka recorded a high rate of overweight and obesity at 58.4 per cent, exceeding the national average.

"Additionally, Melaka is also the second highest state recording diabetes patients at 20.5 per cent, and by the end of 2025, 43,791 active diabetes patients still receiving treatment were recorded in this state," he said to reporters here today.

He said this after the opening ceremony of the Karnival Kesihatan MADANI: Jom Sihat 2026, officiated by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka, Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, and also attended by the State Health director Dr. Ruzita Mustaffa.

Ngwe said that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity and diabetes are among the main contributors to the increased risk of various types of cancer.

According to him, the data should serve as a clear reminder to the people of Melaka that health issues must be given serious attention, not only in terms of treatment but also through prevention, the cultivation of healthy lifestyles and continuous mental health support.

Therefore, he said, among the efforts implemented by the state government through the Health Department is the Karnival Kesihatan MADANI: Jom Sihat 2026, which aligns with the state government's slogan, 'Melaka Sayang Rakyat' (Melaka Loves the People) to strengthen prevention efforts, raise awareness, and ensure that health services continue to reach the community.

In another development, Ngwe said the state government allocated RM4.4 million under the Melaka Sayang Rakyat (MeSRa) Kesihatan Awam to implement various comprehensive health initiatives, including the MBIO Sihat Programme which offers free health screenings for the early detection of three major types of cancer and NCDs.

He also said it includes the MeSRa Ambulance Programme, which provides special door-to-door services to assist bedridden patients, particularly among B40 families, the Jom Sihat and K-Mindset Melaka Style Programmes, the Melaka State Dialysis Assistance Fund, and the Satu PBT Satu Ambulans initiative to be launched in April.

-- BERNAMA