KAMPAR: The Institute for Public Health, with the cooperation of the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa), is conducting an inaugural Orang Asli Health Survey.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the survey aimed to collect data on the health status of Orang Asli in the country.
He added that the three-month survey, which kicked off on July 13 and will conclude on Sept 13, would assist the ministry in strengthening the healthcare services provided to Malaysians, especially the Orang Asli community.
Khairy said the Orang Asli community represented 0.6 per cent or about 200,000 people of the total population.
"The health survey will involve 21,000 Orang Asli respondents from 4,700 households in 71 villages across the country.
"The survey is timely and able to provide evidence-based input to the ministry and other agencies in formulating new strategies to improve public health," Khairy said after launching the survey at Dewan Komuniti Sahom, here, today.
He said the Orang Asli community was still plagued by basic issues such as education, living standards, healthcare, basic amenities and socio-economic problems.
"This specific survey is being carried out to get comprehensive baseline health data and disease burden from the Orang Asli community in Malaysia.
"The health status of the Orang Asli must be improved. This includes tackling nutritional issues like 'stunting' (growth) among children, non-communicable diseases, hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol."
Khairy said the survey findings would allow the ministry to assess the existing health programmes for the Orang Asli community.
"The findings will also help the ministry to devise strategies or organise new activities such as resources planning to improve the health status of the Orang Asli.
"I hope the Orang Asli communities from the selected villages will provide their full cooperation to the data collection teams."
The villages that were randomly picked for the survey represented the three main Orang Asli tribes, namely Senoi, Proto-Malay and Negrito from Pahang, Perak, Kedah, Terengganu, Kelantan, Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.
A total of 15 data collection teams are involved in the data collection activity.
The team members will visit all the households in the selected villages to interview, conduct health checks and review the immunisation records of children.
The health checks will involve anthropometry measurements according to age groups; blood pressure measurement, finger prick blood tests to measure glucose, cholesterol and haemoglobin levels; and hair and nail sample collection for all age groups in 14 selected villages for heavy metal exposure testing.