ISCHEMIC heart disease (IHD) remains the leading cause of death in Malaysia, with 17,421 deaths recorded in 2024.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that diabetes and hypertension are among the primary risk factors for the cardiovascular disease in question.
He described the situation as concerning, noting that both conditions are already affecting young people and often go undetected, as they typically do not present symptoms in the early stages.
“Among the 18-29 age group, an estimated 192,464 individuals have diabetes and 339,853 have hypertension. However, more than eight out of ten cases of both conditions remain undiagnosed or undetected.
“For the 30-39 age group, an estimated 378,508 individuals have diabetes and 938,865 have hypertension. Within this group, more than six out of ten diabetes cases and more than seven out of ten hypertension cases remain undiagnosed or undetected.”
He said this in response to a question from Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (Parit Buntar) regarding the Ministry's strategies to address the rise in diabetes and hypertension cases among youths under the age of 40.
Dr Dzulkefly noted that access to screening has also been expanded through the private sector.
This includes the PeKa B40 scheme, which involves 4,455 panel clinics nationwide.
Between 2019 and August 31, 2026, a total of 2,041,010 individuals —comprising those aged 40 and above and their spouses underwent screening through PeKa B40. – October 6, 2026
