By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
KLANG, April 3 — Many of the Selangor Screening participants who were found to have certain diseases through the free screening programme had not attended the follow-up treatments provided without charge.
State executive councillor for public health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said the state government is investigating why some people choose not to visit the Selcare Clinics for their appointments.
“Many of those who were screened were found to have high cholesterol. This was detected through early screening but when they were informed of follow-up appointments via message, they do not show up.
“There were not many people who took the opportunity to consult with the doctors. Therefore, were are looking into the matter as to why they do not attend the follow-up appointments, whether it is a matter of distance or other factors,” she said after launching the Autism Awareness Day at the state level at the KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital, here yesterday.
Also present was Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor (Yawas) general manager Gan Pei Nei.
Running from May to September last year with a RM3.4 million allocation, Selangor Saring is aimed at individuals with a family history of hereditary ailments, those who are obese, and those leading unhealthy lifestyles.
The first phase of Selangor Saring received an overwhelming response with over 45,000 individuals taking part, surpassing the initial target of 31,000 participants.
Out of that total, some 4,809 individuals have been referred for further treatment.
In addition to physical screenings, Selangor Saring also offers blood and urine tests, eye tests, cervical and breast cancer tests, occult or colorectal stool blood tests, and prostate tests.
The scheme was improved for this year, with several more screenings types added, including dental and ear examinations, as well as physiotherapy sessions.
In the 2023 Selangor Budget, the state government has allocated RM1.5 million to continue the free health screening programme and RM1 million for the Selangor Cancer programme.
