SANDAKAN, May 2 — Sabah recorded 357 monkey malaria cases and one death in the first four months of this year, with Ranau, Kudat and Tawau as the main hotspots, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
“This is quite serious. Early detection and immediate treatment are key. All health clinics and hospitals are capable of detecting these monkey malaria cases,” he told reporters after launching the Wellness Hub in Sandakan today.
Dzulkefly added that close cooperation with the Wildlife Department and the Forestry Department is crucial in tackling this life-threatening disease.
Monkey malaria, also known as zoonotic malaria or simian malaria, is transmitted from monkeys to humans via mosquito bites and is typically caused by the parasite Plasmodium knowlesi.
Meanwhile, regarding the Wellness Hub, Dzulkefly said the initiative is an important catalyst in strengthening the country’s healthcare ecosystem towards a more comprehensive, proactive approach.
This programme helps communities embrace a healthy lifestyle by shifting the focus from seeking treatment to preventing sickness before it occurs.
He noted that this approach is increasingly urgent, given that the government’s annual cost of managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has reached RM64.3 billion, surpassing the entire Ministry of Health budget of RM46.52 billion.
“The burden of NCDs in Sabah is no less worrying. Looking at the data, the rates of obesity (50.4 per cent), high cholesterol (32.1 per cent), smoking prevalence (24.9 per cent), and sedentary behaviour(sitting or lying down for long periods) are very high at 57.7 per cent,” he said.
“There are 38 Wellness Hubs nationwide, with five in Sabah: Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kudat, Keningau and Putatan. My ambition is to have at least one Wellness Hub per parliamentary constituency. We want to take a ‘prevent before sickness’ approach,” he said.
He added that the Wellness Hub also serves as a strategic platform to address stunting and malnutrition among children. — Bernama
