PUTRAJAYA: Health policies aimed at preventing non-communicable disease (NCD), especially among schoolchildren, will be given priority.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said despite an allocation of RM27 billion for the Health Ministry under Budget 2018, the public health system would be stressed in the long run if policies for prevention are not given emphasis.
"The escalated costs of private healthcare has seen the public turning to government hospitals for treatment, meaning a significant chunk of the budget going to an area where prevention is a better option," said Zahid.
He said this in a statement after chairing the Cabinet committee on Healthy Living Conditions, here today.
The Cabinet Committee comprises all ministers, deputy ministers, ministry secretary generals, the Chief Secretary to the Government and representatives of the related agencies.
Zahid said NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholestrolemia and obesity, which were rampant among schoolchildren, were diseases that could be prevented through awareness and policies that drive the importance of healthy lifestyles and living conditions, beginning in schools.
The committee, he said, discussed 13 policies which are to be announced soon, aimed at promoting active and healthy lifestyles among schoolchildren as a means to prevent the rise of NCDs.
"Intervention, especially in a school setting, is important towards encouraging active lifestyles and healthy living from a younger age, so as to develop a generation that grows into healthy adults," said Zahid.