KUALA LUMPUR: The growing number of cancer cases in the country has prompted the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) to urge the government to come up with a comprehensive National Cancer Control Plan.
NCSM president Dr Saunthari Somasundram said Malaysia currently had no such plan, hence there was no proper guideline or direction in the manner which people fight cancer.
“Why doesn’t the country have a National Cancer Control Plan when it’s the second biggest killer in this country? Why don’t we have a direction in which we are going to fight cancer?
“According to the World Health Organisation’s GlobalCan 2012 cancer research, 37,000 Malaysians are diagnosed with cancer every year and the number is on the rise.
“It’s estimated that there will be an increase of between three and five per cent yearly. Currently, one in four Malaysians suffer from cancer, and if drastic measures are not taken to address the issue today, one in three Malaysians may succumb to cancer by year 2030.
“Hence, our first action plan following the rebranding exercise is to get the National Cancer Control Plan up and running,” she said in a press conference after the launch of “Cancer Action Malaysia” (CAM), here today.
Dr Saunthari, who is also the NCSM medical director said the plan would list down the guidelines on cancer treatment for the healthcare sector, detailing the areas that need focus, preventive measures and facilities available for cancer treatment, and resources needed.
The plan, she said would also look at the financial aspects of a person and ways in which the government could make it affordable.
“We don’t have equitable, comprehensive, and affordable cancer care for all Malaysians currently. There’s no consistency and uniformity in cancer care.
“Hence, the end result of this plan will ensure affordable and comprehensive care for cancer patients nationwide.”
Meanwhile, NCSM vice-president Dr Ahmad Kamal Mohamed, who is also an oncologist, said the country lacks cancer treatment experts, where Malaysia only has 70 oncologists nationwide.
In his first official visit to NCSM, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah and Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim launched CAM, which marked the beginning of a re-branding exercise of NCSM in the run-up to their 50th anniversary which would be celebrated in 2016.
Through the rebranding exercise, NCSM hopes to set up an information centre on cancer which will be manned by experienced nurses and cancer survivors to give advice to cancer patients.
During the visit, Sultan Nazrin who is also NCSM's royal patron, toured the cancer screening centres there and launched a new digital x-ray machine to be used for cancer screening.
Sultan Nazrin and Tuanku Zara also visited Rumah Harapan Kanak-Kanak at the premises which provides temporary accommodation for children with cancer receiving treatment at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.