AN estimated 15.6% of Malaysian adults — or approximately one in six — are living with diabetes, with two in five unaware of their condition, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023.
Health Ministry Disease Control Division director Dr Noraryana Hassan said the findings underscored a worrying trend, particularly among younger adults.
“A staggering 84% of Malaysians aged between 18 and 29 who have diabetes are unaware of it,” she told The Star, urging for screening to begin at an earlier age to help reduce complications and the risk of premature death.
She was speaking at the Diabetes Malaysia Conference 2025, with her remarks delivered by the division’s acting deputy director for Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Nik Khairol Reza Md Yazin, Bernama reported.
“As more Malaysians are diagnosed with diabetes and its complications, we must continue to prevent the onset of diabetes and simultaneously retard or delay the onset of its complications,” she said.
Dr Noraryana highlighted the high risk of life-threatening complications associated with diabetes, such as ischaemic heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and acute diabetic emergencies.
“These complications reduce the quality of life, as further organ damage such as blindness, amputation, heart failure, stroke with full dependency, erectile dysfunction, and end-stage renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy ensue,” she added.
While primary care plays a vital role in screening for non-communicable diseases, she noted that healthcare providers are now increasingly focused on managing patients with established diabetes and its long-term consequences.
“Central to the care of diabetes is also the empowerment of patients. Self-care such as dietary habits, exercise, foot care, self-monitoring of blood glucose, understanding medications, and compliance need to be continuously emphasised when managing them,” she said.
Held under the theme Personalised and Sustainable Diabetes Care: Building a Healthier Tomorrow, the conference — which concludes tomorrow — seeks to enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge-sharing in addressing the rising diabetes burden in Malaysia. - August 2, 2025
