KUALA LUMPUR: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer cost the Malaysian economy RM9 billion in productivity losses, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said disability and loss of healthy life years, called the burden of disease, cost the country approximately RM100 billion, which is equivalent to 7.35 per cent of the national gross domestic product (GDP).
"According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71 per cent of total deaths globally.
"Alarmingly, each year, more than 15 million people die from NCDs between the ages of 30 and 69 with 85 per cent of these 'premature' deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
"In Malaysia, the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 showed that NCDs account for 71 per cent of premature deaths and more than 70 per cent of the burden of disease.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us again that infectious diseases, against the backdrop of NCDs, can increase the risk of mortality and morbidity, the leading cause of Covid-19 deaths in Malaysia is also attributed to NCDs," he said in his keynote address for the inaugural Malaysian Lifestyle Medicine Conference in a video recording.
He said to address both the health and socio-economic issues related to NCDs, the government has launched a 10-year "Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat" (ANMS) wellness plan.
"The two-term plan, which will run till 2030 will be spearheaded by Health Ministry and includes concerted efforts among ministries and stakeholders to promote a healthier lifestyle as well as environmental sustainability.
"The Health Ministry aims to use ANMS as a major platform to create 'waves of health awareness among Malaysians, subsequently reducing the burden of diseases on the national public healthcare system.
"A key element of the plan is to motivate behavioural changes among the public," he said.
He said lifestyle medicine, an emerging discipline in modern healthcare, has a key supporting role in advocating positive behaviour modification in line with the aspirations of the ANMS.
"Lifestyle medicine aims to prevent, treat and reverse chronic diseases by addressing the underlying causes and by replacing unhealthy lifestyle behavioural patterns with positive behaviour patterns.
"This will not only play a significant role in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic diseases but also improve immunity and enhance mental wellbeing."