KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 16,906 Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) contributors died because of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 2021, said caretaker Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan today.
Forty-six of these cases cropped up daily last year, he added.
"The situation would be worse if the person who died was the sole breadwinner of a family.
"This would not only affect the family, but also the productivity of an organisation and a nation.
"This matter should not be taken lightly as the majority of NCDs are linked to people's lifestyle," he said at the Perkeso Run & Ride 2022.
His speech was read out by Perkeso chairman Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
Saravanan said the Perkeso Health Screening Programme (HSP) found that of the 588,917 workers who had taken the programme since 2013, 60.9 per cent had high cholesterol, 35.2 per cent were obese, 27.3 per cent had hypertension and 9.5 per cent were diabetic.
"I urge workers to be more concerned about their health and to increase their physical activity.
"Take up the free HSP offered by Socso to its contributors.
"Socso has also introduced the Workplace Health Promotion programme to create a conducive work environment and encourage healthy practices among employees."
More than 3,000 participants joined the 7km run and bicycle ride.
The programme, held with Kuala Lumpur City Hall, was in conjunction with KL Car Free Morning.
Some 110 Media Prima Bhd employees took part in it.