Frequent health screening encouraged to detect diseases

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MIRI: The general public, whether young or old, are encouraged to go for frequent health screening to detect any early sign of disease.

In his speech read out by Eric Chin, the SUPP Senadin publicity secretary, Assistant Minister for Land and Air Transportation and Safety Datuk Lee Kim Shin said getting yearly health screening is of vital importance because early signs of diseases such as diabetes are often undetected.

“Diabetes exists in the form of Type 1 and Type II diabetes, while there are cases where diabetic patients inherited the disease from their parents, the lack of insulin in the body could cause diabetes too.

“To be precise on the condition of your own health, it is best to get your body checked so that you will not miss any sign,” he advised.

Lee lauded Diabetes Malaysia Miri branch for playing a very active role in raising awareness of diabetes among the young and old.

“Not only it is important to have early detection, the people around the diabetes patients could also learn a lot about the disease and the ways to help take care of the patients,” Lee said at the closing ceremony of the 25th anniversary celebration of Diabetes Malaysia Miri branch at Bintang Megamall.

Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. It is a condition where the body does not produce insulin – a hormone that the body needs to get glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.

In Type 2 diabetes cases, though the body of a patient produces insulin, the insulin their pancreas secretes is either not enough or the body is unable to recognise the hormone insulin and use it properly. Such condition is known as insulin resistance.

Though Type 2 diabetes is said to be caused by lifestyle, there is also a condition whereby inadequate insulin causes the glucose unable to get into the body’s cells and instead builds up in the bloodstream, which could cause damage to the body.

Through early detection, according to Lee, a patient will go for treatment and take care of himself better before his condition turns worse.

To show his support, Lee sponsored diabetes testing tools to several diabetes patients, before urging them to put the tool to good use, and to improve their health and lifestyle.

Present at the closing ceremony were Diabetes Malaysia National vice president Jong Koi Chong, Diabetes Malaysia Miri branch chairman Ting Chiew Moi and Miri Hospital physician Datuk Dr Fam Tem Lom.