KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resource Ministry advised Malaysian workers, aged 40 and above, to continue to utilise the Health Screening Programme introduced by the government since 2013.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Mutalib said the ministry had allocated RM200 million for the programme which was introduced through Social Security Organisation (Socso) for employees to undergo health screening for early detection of illnesses, if any.
However, he said, only RM52 million of the allocation had been utilised so far, with 452,000 contributors having went for the health screening, despite some 2.4 million vouchers been distributed.
“This is not a good sign as it hampers the government’s effort to produce healthy and quality workers,” he told a press conference after participating in the Run and Ride Socso programme at the pre launch of the 2016 Labour Day celebration here yesterday.
He said a total of 3,365 clinics, 252 medical laboratories and 173 mammogram centres had registered for the programme nationwide.
Ismail also advised employers to play their active role by creating awareness among their workers on the importance of health screening so that they would take advantage of the facility provided by the government.
“Employers should organise health awareness programme and encourage their employees to lead a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
Meanwhile, Socso chief executive officer Datuk Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said 1.9 million contributors had yet to utilise the facility and advised them to do so.
He said there had been an increase in the number of application for death compensation due to non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, high blood and high cholesterol, totalling 15,173 last year.
“Our compensation payout showed an upward trend with RM2.2 billion in 2013, RM2.46 billion in 2014 and RM2.65 billion last year,” he said. — Bernama