CANCER cases have been increasing in Malaysia with 168,822 reported between 2017 and 2021, according to the Malaysia Cancer Registry.
Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in Malaysia. There are currently six reference public hospitals for cancer treatment in Johor, Ipoh, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak.
As much as the Ministry of Health subsidises the cost of treatment and therapy sessions, it is still a costly affair. The surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapies at private hospital can cost more than a few hundred thousand ringgit.
But there is a waiting period for cancer patients receiving treatment due to lack of specialists and equipment.
The health minister has assured that to address the waiting time, public hospitals will cooperate with private hospitals depending on the severity and urgency of cancer cases to ensure better treatment.
The ministry is doing everything to ensure that cancer patients receive the best treatment at affordable cost. However, there is a need to address financial struggles faced by cancer patients.
Cancer treatment is not a one-off treatment because it involves several surgeries and weekly radiation sessions which can be a financial burden.
Last month there were reports in the media of families of cancer patients who had borrowed money from loan sharks to pay for cancer treatment and were being relentlessly hounded.
Perhaps, a special financial aid should be given to cancer patients not only to meet their treatment costs but their living costs too. The government needs to set up a foundation for cancer patients to help them financially. We may also need to review certain financial aid to foreign countries and utilise them for our own citizens.
SAMUEL YESUIAH
Seremban, Negri Sembilan