KOTA KINABALU: Since 2016, the Health Ministry has teamed up with more than 88 private health facilities, including 11 KPJ hospitals, to offer a quit-smoking programme called MQuit.
Among other things, the ministry’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min, said MQuit offered free counselling by medical officers.
“In Malaysia, about 23 per cent of thepopulation smoke and, annually, about 20,000 deaths are linked to smoking,” he said at the launch of an MQuit centre at the KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital here.
KPJ Healthcare Bhd managing director and president Datuk Amiruddin Abdul Satar said the centre was part of efforts to bring about a smoke-free generation.
Present was Sabah Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi.
According to a 2007 study, RM2.92billlion was spent to treat smoking-associated diseases such as heart, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary.
The government bears 68 per cent of the treatment cost, while the rest its paid by individuals. Dr Chen said the ministry had also introduced smoking prevention measures in public areas, organised screenings and held talks for smokers in community areas.
The initiatives demonstrate Malaysia’s commitment as a signatory to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.