JOHOR BARU, Aug 22 — The National Strategic Action Plan for Cancer Control Programmes (NSPCCP) which is in the final stage of fine-tuning, will only be implemented based on the Health Ministry’s capacity, including financial.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said moreover, the ministry currently had no cancer therapy centres in the eastern and northern parts of the peninsula for the action plan to be implemented comprehensively.
“However, if we look back, the process of implementing the plan had already begun some time ago through the ministry’s introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 2010 to prevent cervical cancer.
“The programme is clearly helpful and perhaps within 10 years, we can see reduced cervical cancer cases in this country.”
Dr Noor Hisham was speaking to reporters after the official opening of the Tunku Laksamana Johor CT Simulation Suite by Permaisuri Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah at Sultan Ismail Hospital, here, today.
The NSPCCP 2016-2020, which replaced the previous plan, covers all aspects of cancer control including early detection, prevention and treatment.
Dr Noor Hisham said the government was aware that such a plan was important as cancer was currently one of the causes of the highest number of deaths among Malaysians.
Between 2007 and 2011, 100,569 cancer cases were diagnosed in Malaysia, with 18.1 per cent comprising breast cancer cases, 12.3 per cent (colon cancer) and 10.2 per cent (lung cancer).
The three main types of cancer afflicting Malaysian women have been reported to be breast cancer, colon cancer and cervical cancer. — Bernama
