Latest news with #InstituteforPublicHealth
The Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
NHMS 2025 focuses on elderly health in Malaysia
SEREMBAN: The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2025, conducted by the Institute for Public Health, is now underway with a special focus on Malaysians aged 60 and above. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni announced that the survey, running from July 22 to September 21, aims to assess elderly health under the 'ageing well' concept. Approximately 16,700 randomly selected households nationwide will participate in the study. The survey includes three key modules: mental health (covering cognitive function, dementia, and geriatric depression), physical health (assessing chronic diseases, mobility, and frailty), and social well-being (evaluating caregiver burden and quality of life). Lukanisman explained that 43 teams have been deployed to gather data through interviews, questionnaires, and clinical tests. 'Clinical assessments involve blood pressure checks, cholesterol and blood sugar screenings, and sarcopenia evaluations like handgrip strength and muscle mass tests,' he said. The findings will help the Ministry of Health refine policies and health programmes for the elderly. Lukanisman urged government agencies, healthcare workers, and community leaders to support the initiative, ensuring seniors lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. - Bernama
Barnama
5 days ago
- Health
- Barnama
NHMS 2025 To Focus On Elderly Health, Runs From July 22 To Sept 21
SEREMBAN, July 25 (Bernama) -- The Institute for Public Health is conducting the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2025 from July 22 to Sept 21, focusing on the health of Malaysians aged 60 and above, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni. He said NHMS 2025, which aims to assess the health status of senior citizens in Malaysia in line with the 'ageing well' concept, will cover approximately 16,700 randomly selected households nationwide. "The main modules in this NHMS cover three key domains, namely the mental health domain, which includes cognitive, dementia, and geriatric depression screenings.
New Straits Times
12-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Vape ban: Concerns are real but proposed solutions flawed
ACROSS Malaysia, we're witnessing a growing wave of state-led attempts to ban vape products with Perlis, Terengganu and Kedah announcing prohibitions, with Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan reportedly considering the same. Publicly, leaders and MPs are now echoing calls for a nationwide ban, citing concerns over vape products laced with drugs and growing concern over youth vaping. Let us be clear: these concerns are real, but the proposed solutions are dangerously flawed. The reason we are seeing issues like underage use and contaminated products is not because of the legal vape industry. It is because irresponsible, illegal retailers and criminal syndicates continue to operate without fear of consequences. These bad actors have no regard for regulations, age restrictions or product safety. They are the ones supplying unregistered products, selling to minors and introducing dangerous substances into the supply chain. Banning vape will not stop these criminals. It will only penalise legitimate, regulated businesses, while empowering the black market. The leaders now calling for a ban are reacting to the harm caused by illegal and unregulated players. But instead of focusing efforts on enforcement to eliminate these elements, they propose a blanket ban that would wipe out responsible retailers, many of whom are registered and comply with all current regulations. If we take the easy way out and ban vape outright, we risk creating an entirely unregulated underground market. Everything will be black market. No age checks, no quality control, no accountability. This is the worst possible outcome for public health. We must remember that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), has now been introduced. This is the very tool meant to bring vape into a regulated space, to ensure product safety, protect youth, and allow only legal players to operate. Why are we not concentrating our energy on implementing this law effectively, with robust enforcement to weed out the bad actors? According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia 2023 survey by the Institute for Public Health under the Ministry of Health, the majority of vape users are aged 15 to 24 years. These numbers did not emerge under a regulated environment. They grew due the absence of a clear regulatory framework. This proves that prohibition does not work. What works is regulations, oversight and the political will to enforce the law. Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association fully supports regulations. We support clear rules that keep products out of the hands of minors and ensure safety for adult consumers. But we cannot support a system where the actions of criminal syndicates are used to justify blanket bans that harm legitimate businesses. With Act 852 already in place, the focus must be on moving forward: implementing it with urgency, investing in enforcement and strengthening the regulatory framework so that only responsible, compliant players remain in the market. Banning regulated products is not a solution, it is an abdication of responsibility that hands the market over to criminals. If we want to protect public health and consumer safety, we must stay the course, enforce the law decisively, and commit to building a legal, transparent vape industry that operates within clear and accountable boundaries.
Focus Malaysia
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'Short-sighted and ineffective: Vape bans are not the answer'
WE ARE witnessing a growing wave of state-led attempts to ban vape products with Opposition-led Perlis, Terengganu, and Kedah having announced prohibition of sales between August and December 2025 while Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan are reportedly considering a similar move. Publicly, political leaders and MPs are now echoing calls for a nationwide ban, citing concerns over drug-laced vape products and growing concern over youth vaping. Let us be clear: these concerns are real but the proposed solutions are dangerously flawed. The reason we are seeing issues like underage use and contaminated products is not because of the legal vape industry. It is because irresponsible, illegal retailers and criminal syndicates continue to operate without fear of consequences. These bad actors have no regard for regulations, age restrictions or product safety. They are the ones supplying unregistered products, selling to minors and introducing dangerous substances into the supply chain. Banning vape will not stop these criminals. It will only penalise legitimate and regulated businesses while empowering the black market. Flourishing black market As it is, political leaders who advocate vape ban are reacting to the harm caused by illegal and unregulated players. But instead of focusing their efforts on enforcement to eliminate these elements, they propose a blanket ban that would wipe out responsible retailers, many of whom are registered and oin compliance with all current regulations. If we take the easy way out and ban vape outright, we risk creating an entirely unregulated underground market. Everything will be black market. No age checks, no quality control, no accountability. This is the worst possible outcome for public health. We must remember that the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) has now been introduced. This is the very tool meant to bring vape into a regulated space, to ensure product safety, protect youth and allow only legal players to operate. Why are we not focusing our energy on implementing this law effectively with robust enforcement to weed out the bad actors? Irresponsible to ban vape According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia 2023 survey by the Institute for Public Health under the Health Ministry (MOH), the majority of vape users are aged 15 to 24 years-old. But these numbers did not emerge under a regulated environment. They grew due the absence of a clear regulatory framework. This proves that prohibition does not work. What works is regulations, oversight and the political will to enforce the law. In this regard, MRECA (the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association) fully supports regulations. We support clear rules that keep products out of the hands of minors and ensure safety for adult consumers. But we cannot support a system where the actions of criminal syndicates are used to justify blanket bans that harm legitimate businesses. With Act 852 already in place, the focus must be on moving forward: implementing it with urgency, investing in enforcement and strengthening the regulatory framework so that only responsible, compliant players remain in the market. Banning regulated products is not a solution but an abdication of responsibility that hands the market over to criminals. If we want to protect public health and consumer safety, we must stay the course, enforce the law decisively and commit to building a legal, transparent vape industry that operates within clear and accountable boundaries. – June 10, 2025 Datuk Adzwan Abdul Manas is the Malaysia Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) president. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
South China Morning Post
24-04-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
1 in 3 Malaysian children are overweight as nation's sugar addiction worsens
Malaysia 's sugar addiction is fuelling a childhood obesity epidemic, with a new health ministry report showing a third of children are overweight and blaming it on a lack of exercise and high-sugar diets short of fruits and vegetables. Advertisement The food-obsessed nation has long been one of Asia's most obese countries, with half of its adults overweight and one in five people living with diabetes, according to official statistics. These preventable lifestyle diseases are draining Malaysia's healthcare system of billions of ringgit each year, at a time when hospitals are overcrowded, and doctors are overworked and underpaid. On Thursday, the 2024 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), published by the Institute for Public Health, revealed that one in three people aged 5 to 19 were overweight, with only two in five living a physically active lifestyle. Half of this excess sugar comes from sweetened beverages. Dzulkefly Ahmad, Malaysia's health minister 'The report found that 63.1 per cent of adolescents and 40 per cent of adults are consuming more sugar than suggested,' Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said at its launch. 'Half of this excess sugar comes from sweetened beverages.' Advertisement Malaysia's fondness for sugary drinks has come under renewed scrutiny in recent months, with health advocates criticising food influencers for promoting overly sweet drink recipes during Ramadan, which ended in March.
