Two new cancer treatment centres will be established to improve public access to quality treatment, in line with the government’s commitment to strengthen the national health system, announced the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The new centres will be established as part of the government’s expansion initiative, including the Northern Region Cancer Centre in Kedah and the Sarawak Cancer Centre in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.
“This is a significant step toward ensuring that quality cancer treatment is accessible to the public, regardless of their geographical location,” he said during his speech when opening an event organised by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
NCI, the national pioneer in cancer research and treatment, has been established to combat the disease that has become one of the leading causes of death among Malaysians.
The nation’s risk of cancer rose from 7.37% in 1975 to 9.34% in 2003, according to the Ministry of Health.
Also, the latest statistics published by the National Cancer Registry Report show that, from 2017 to 2021, breast cancer remains a major threat to women in Malaysia, as 38.9 in every 100,000 women contracted breast cancer.
The DPM said resources will continue to be allocated to enhance cancer research, treatment facilities and cancer prevention programmes, emphasising that it is important to get early diagnosis that can increase the patient’s chances of survival, followed by the provision of quality treatment.
