PENAMPANG: The Sabah Health Department has extended its screening service for inherited blood disease Thalassaemia among Form 4 students.
Acting Deputy Director (Public Health) Dr Asits Sanna said the collaboration between the health and education departments, which targets more than 200 secondary schools, began in February and is ongoing.
"To date, the screening rate is at 99 per cent with only a small number of parents refusing to allow their children's blood samples to be taken as they are not aware of the importance of the screening.
"Students who are Thalassaemia carriers will be given post-screening counselling about the disease," he said after launching the state-level Zoomers Kelab Doktor Muda for secondary schools at SMK Bahang here.
A healthy Thalassaemia carrier who marries another carrier might increase the probability in having children who need to go for regular blood transfusion.
Dr Asits said Sabah has the most number of Thalassaemia patients.
In May, the number jumped to 17,000 people from 15,759 in 2014.
The Nabawan district has the highest incidence of 278 cases for every 100,000 people, followed by Kota Marudu (256), Kudat (248) Tambunan (191) Tenom (169) and Keningau (150).