My 80-year-old teacher called me in distress on Saturday afternoon. She had received a letter from IJN – Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute) informing her that she should no longer go there for her regular check-ups, but instead go to the Petaling government clinic.

Should she require any further medical attention, she could go to University Hospital or the General Hospital.

Although she was rather understanding of the rationale and had no qualms about IJN’s decision, she was worried about her transportation to the clinic, the generic medicines the clinic would provide for her, and whether would she be treated by specialists at a clinic.

Why has IJN made this sudden change? It is simple, IJN is a corporation under the MOF, a national referral center, and they were billing the government for civil servant patients treated under the strict orders of JPA.

This group of patients makes up 87% of their patients. Today, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is overly burdened with expenses. The MOH now says all the retirees and civil servants who were treated by IJN will have to go to the nearest government hospitals for their medications and follow-ups, no more to IJN, except otherwise referred by specialist cardiologists.

This is a painful fact, but the truth is that the MOH is overly burdened with the whole medical expenses of the country.

The MOH has received RM41.2 billion allocation under the 2024 Budget, representing a significant 13% increase from the RM36.3 billion allocated last year.

The main component of this allocation includes the need for the procurement of medicines and dental and pharmacy officers.

While the government is focusing on medical care and building new hospitals, the allocated budget has yet to be spent on improving medical awareness or education on the different types of ailments and diseases, healthy or unhealthy food that we consume, and the total lack of exercise among Malaysians.

We must focus on recognizing the root cause of the ailments instead of merely addressing the symptoms.

During my days at school, government clinics would send a dentist with dental nurses over to check our teeth. The well-trained dental nurses would advise us on proper dental care and show us the way to brush our teeth. This was a good exercise, but it has since dropped.

Besides, there were and still are no sessions to inform us about cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dengue, tuberculosis, malaria or air-borne and water-borne diseases such as cholera.

Food poisoning is one of the top five diseases in our country now, besides dengue fever, tuberculosis (TB) and hand-foot-mouth disease (HFM). Yet, MOH does not see the urgency to enlighten and inform all Malaysians about this.

Should we dare assume that our society is advanced and does not need such education? I believe that is a wrong assumption!

The government’s medical bills can be reduced if we conduct educational awareness programs regularly via free TV channels such as RTM and even TV3 as corporate responsibility.

Also, we can appoint volunteers and interns to come forward and contribute to these efforts. This will help many people understand the importance of healthy eating and exercise in order to enjoy life to the fullest.

Companies and corporations should be given tax exemptions to do more health awareness corporate social responsibilities (CSR), thus aiding in helping the government reduce the bill.

Health education is critical for the following reasons:

◾Prevention of Diseases: Health education helps people understand the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles, such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. This knowledge can prevent many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

◾Early Detection: Awareness campaigns can educate people about the signs and symptoms of various illnesses, promoting early detection and treatment. This can significantly improve health outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.

◾Reducing Health Disparities: Health education can address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes by ensuring that all population groups have access to important health information. This can help reduce inequalities in health.

◾Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Health education can encourage people to engage in behaviors that promote good health, such as practicing safe sex, using seat belts, and wearing helmets. These behaviors can prevent accidents and injuries. Hundreds are dying on the roads every week in our country.

◾Maternal and Child Health: Educating expectant mothers about prenatal care, nutrition, and safe childbirth practices can reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.

◾Preventing the Spread of Infectious Diseases: During outbreaks of infectious diseases, health education campaigns can inform people about how to protect themselves and prevent the spread of the disease. This is particularly relevant during pandemics like COVID-19 and the impending Virus X.

◾Empowering Individuals: Knowledge empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health. When people understand the risks and benefits of various healthcare options, they can make choices that are in their best interest.

◾Reducing Healthcare Costs: By promoting preventive measures and early intervention, health education can help reduce healthcare costs in the long run. Preventing diseases and complications is often more cost-effective than treating them.

◾Improving Public Health Infrastructure: Public awareness can lead to increased demand for healthcare services, which may incentivize governments to invest in healthcare infrastructure and services.

◾Promoting Mental Health: Health education and awareness can also focus on mental health issues, reducing stigma, and encouraging individuals to seek help when needed.

◾Supporting Healthy Aging: As populations age, it becomes increasingly important to educate people about age-related health concerns and how to maintain good health and well-being in later years. Geriatric care is expensive and without education and proper planning, we will be hit badly. Department of Statistics Malaysia observed that Malaysia’s ageing population is growing at a faster-than-expected rate, whereby more than 15% of its population will be above the age of 65 by 2050.

◾Global Health Security: In an interconnected world, health education and awareness are crucial for global health security. Knowledge about infectious diseases and how they spread can help prevent pandemics.

◾Environmental Health: Education about the environment’s impact on health can encourage sustainable practices and reduce exposure to environmental hazards. For example, a palm oil plantation worker must know what to do when a snake bites him. Snake bites are quite common in the rural parts of our country.

In conclusion, health education and awareness play a pivotal role in improving individual and public health, reducing healthcare costs, and promoting overall well-being in our country.

It empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health and contributes to the development of healthier communities and nation.

We can save billions if we begin focusing on medical awareness programs nationwide, rather than doing it during a pandemic.

Rather than purely attending to patients who are sick, let’s also go beyond in creating greater awareness of the food and lifestyle (with the advent of smartphones, how much time we spend sitting down) and the importance of exercise.

Let’s start addressing the root cause and not merely the symptoms arising from our sedentary lifestyle and worst eating habits.

(Ravindran Raman Kutty is an active social worker.)