02-08-2025
RM2.3 billion lost to respiratory diseases: Experts
Published on: Saturday, August 02, 2025
Published on: Sat, Aug 02, 2025 Text Size: According to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 6 per cent of adults and up to 13 per cent of children in Malaysia have asthma, with an estimated one in three sufferers remaining undiagnosed. Kota Kinabalu: Respiratory diseases continue to pose a significant challenge to the Malaysian and Sabah health systems, with experts calling for more integrated strategies to manage asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and post-tuberculosis (TB) lung conditions. According to the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 6 per cent of adults and up to 13 per cent of children in Malaysia have asthma, with an estimated one in three sufferers remaining undiagnosed. Another study puts the national prevalence of COPD at 6.5 per cent among adults, a disease that often leads to breathlessness and poor quality of life. The cost of managing COPD is estimated at RM2.3 billion a year, with additional financial pressure caused by reduced productivity and increased social welfare costs. Although Sabah-specific statistics are limited, health officials believe the situation mirrors the national trend. More efforts are being made in the state to strengthen screening and diagnosis, particularly in rural areas. These issues took centre stage in here as more than 100 health experts and researchers from across Asia gathered for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (Respire), Held from July 29 to Aug 1, marking the first time Sabah is hosting the annual meeting since the programme was launched in 2017. Themed 'Promoting and Prioritising an Integrated Lung Health Approach', the meeting brought together participants from Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom, who presented research findings and discussed strategies to reduce the burden of lung disease in low- and middle-income countries. The discussions highlighted the need to improve early diagnosis, provide timely treatment and ensure long-term follow-up for chronic respiratory conditions, particularly for communities with limited access to healthcare. The event was officiated by Deputy Director-General of Health (Research) Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah. Dr Nor said the Ministry of Health (MOH) remains committed to addressing lung health issues through the Healthy Lungs Initiative 2025-2030, which aims to enhance screening and care services nationwide. Sabah, in particular, continues to record the highest TB burden in the country, with 161 cases per 100,000 population. In response, Respire researchers are working with the Sabah Health Department and MOH to co-develop a clinical tool for improving TB diagnosis in primary care settings, especially for patients with smear-negative results. Malaysia has also taken a lead role at the international level, tabling a resolution at the 78th World Health Assembly to address asthma, COPD, TB, lung cancer and pneumonia, along with environmental factors such as air pollution and access to affordable diagnostics and medicines. The Respire programme, led by the University of Edinburgh and Universiti Malaya, is supported by the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It aims to deliver sustainable, cost-effective respiratory health solutions through collaboration with institutions across Asia.
