By: Zaidul Khair bin Jungkim
KOTA KINABALU: Sept 5, 2026 — Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) claim more than 94,000 Malaysian lives every year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said during a dialogue session at Dewan Wisma Wanita on Friday.
He said NCDs have emerged as the nation’s biggest health challenge post-COVID-19, which claimed about 37,000 Malaysians over two years — including nearly 3,200 in Sabah.
“The NCD pandemic kills Malaysians — not 17,000 like COVID-19. Every year, this Health Minister is faced with 94,000 deaths and above,” he said.
According to Dr Dzulkefly, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic lung diseases are among the leading causes of NCD-related deaths.
In Sabah, the adult diabetes rate stands at 8.8 per cent compared to the national average of 15.6 per cent. Hypertension prevalence is around 25 per cent, while overweight cases are recorded at 19.5 per cent.
However, he cautioned that these lower figures should not breed complacency, as Sabah is still managing 42,113 active diabetes cases and 86,114 active hypertension cases.
“These low data and percentages should not make us complacent. Do not be complacent,” he stressed.
Dr Dzulkefly said treatment challenges in Sabah are more acute due to geographical and logistical factors, particularly in the interior, where healthcare workers have to cross rivers, traverse mountains, and cover long distances.
He said 16 visits to health facilities across Sabah have been conducted since 2024, covering coastal, island, interior, and urban areas.
Sabah also faces a manpower shortage, with staff filling at 88.51 per cent, leaving 3,557 vacancies, he added.
Currently, Sabah has 2,546 doctors, 549 specialists, and 10,164 nurses.
The minister also disclosed that Sabah recorded 4,029 new tuberculosis cases with 171 deaths as of mid-August this year.
