DR DZULKEFLY: RM87.1 MLN FOR PURCHASE OF SGLT2 MEDICATION TO BENEFIT 280,231 DIABETIC PATIENTS

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- An allocation of RM87.1 million under Budget 2025 for the purchase of sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors which will benefit 280,231 diabetic patients.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said this will reduce complications for diabetic patients including cardiovascular and kidney complications which incur higher costs.

"This approach is in line with the shift of the Ministry of Health (MOH) from 'sick-care to 'health-care' to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the national health system in the long term," he said in a statement here today.

Dr Dzulkefly said the MOH will also launch the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in Malaysia: The Case for Investment 2021 report, a collaboration with the World Bank, on Nov 14.

He said the “War on Sugar” campaign is a government initiative to reduce the intake of sugar among the people as a measure to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes.

He said the Strategic Plan to Reduce Sugar Among Malaysians 2024-2030, launched on June 29, contains six main strategies, with 38 initiatives and 65 activities encompassing policies, advocacy and comprehensive public-private cooperation.

The health minister said cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases are silent killers and they contribute to 72 per cent of the total premature deaths in Malaysia.

"The burden of disease goes far beyond the issue of public health; it also places a burden on the country's economy," he said.

Quoting the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in Malaysia: The Case for Investment 2021 report, Dr Dzulkefly said the overall economic burden for the four NCDs -- cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases particularly diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, is estimated at RM64.2 billion.

“The economic burden includes the direct healthcare costs borne by the government, amounting to RM12.4 billion each year, as well as indirect costs due to productivity loss from absenteeism, presenteeism and premature deaths," he said.

Dr Dzulkefly said the issue of presenteeism and absenteeism often arises due to diabetic complications such as fatigue, blurred vision and increased risk of infections.

He said cardiovascular disease and diabetes alone caused a loss of RM1.8 billion in terms of absenteeism, while presenteeism amounted to RM30.2 billion.

"In the long term, these will cause the country big economic losses due to the decline in workforce performance, productivity and economic competitiveness, as diabetes patients may have difficulty concentrating or meeting intensive work demands," he added.

-- BERNAMA