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Mental health issues among topics at 2026 Asean Health Ministers Meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: Mental health issues will be put on the agenda of the 2026 Asean Health Ministers Meeting (AHMM) here.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the meeting would address a range of critical health concerns that the region faced.

In addition to mental health, other important issues included the accessibility to pharmaceuticals, food safety and quality, as well as tackling the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

"In terms of mental health, we want to highlight the role of counsellors and the importance of transforming primary healthcare, shifting from a 'sick care' hospital model to a more holistic, preventative healthcare system.

"To achieve this, we must strengthen the role of counsellors and family medicine specialists, who are essential in managing our primary healthcare services," he said after officiating in the Regional Counselling Convention 2024, themed Bridging Wellbeing and Work, at the Employees Provident Fund Learning Campus here.

Present were EPF chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and the International Counselling Association of Malaysia president Datuk Dr Abdul Halim Hussin.

On access to pharmaceuticals, Dr Dzulkefly said the event would focus on the importance of ensuring the security of pharmaceutical supplies for the region, particularly during crises.

"This includes clinical and pharmaceutical research, which are crucial components of the pharmaceutical industry. A major goal is to strengthen Asean's collective capacity to address challenges such as mitigating inflationary pressures on drugs and medicines.

"Additionally, efforts will be made to promote and expand research, including clinical trials, and support industry-driven innovations within the region," he said.

In terms of food safety, quality and the entire supply chain, Dr Dzulkefly said it was to ensure that food safety standards were upheld in the region, alongside the nutritional aspects of food.

"The emphasis will be on maintaining high standards for both the quality and safety of food, which are essential for public health.

"You see from time to time issues arising from poisoning, toxicity and food additives, which show the need for a platform such as Asean to function as a supranational organisation that will be looking at the safety and quality of food and its entire supply chain," he said.

On non-communicable diseases, Dr Dzulkefly said it remained a critical issue especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.

"Lately, I have been stressing the importance of facing a global challenge on non-communicable diseases.

"Together, we will manage the non-communicable diseases, which include diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, premature death caused by heart attack and cancer," he said.

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