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    10 February 2012| last updated at 08:35PM

    3.5mil Malaysians unaware of having hypertension



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    KUALA LUMPUR: About 3.5 million Malaysians are not aware they are suffering from hypertension.

     

     
    The silent sufferers were detected through a National Health and Morbidity Survey carried out at random by the Ministry of Health every four years.
     
    Revealing the findings, Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said only 2.3 million people turned up for treatment at clinics nationwide. 
     
    "We ask all Malaysians to check their blood pressure levels because there are those who are not aware they have hypertension," he said in his address at the Malaysian Society of Hypertension's 9th Annual Scientific Meeting 2012, (MSH ASM 2012), here, today.
     
    He said Malaysians aged 30 years and more were encouraged to undergo screening tests for non-communicable diseases every year. 
     
    He said the facilities provided nationwide at 813 Health Clinics and 150 1Malaysia Clinics could help anybody check their blood pressure readings.
     
    "Detect early and get crucial treatment because hypertension is the world's number one risk factor for strokes and heart attacks, contributing to 17.5 million deaths," he said.
     
    On the 1Care For 1Malaysia health scheme, Dr Hasan said the public should give a chance to the scheme which focused on good health care for all.
     
    "The ministry is aware of the people's sensitivities and encourage feedback.
     
    Better to receive criticisms now rather than after implementation," he said.
     
    He said the scheme's blueprint was expected to be ready next year, adding that there was a chance that the scheme might not be approved by the government.
     
    On reports that the public needed to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly salaries to the scheme, he said it was only one of the proposals discussed. - Bernama
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