KEPALA BATAS, May 29 — The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) is encouraging women to undergo breast and cervical cancer screenings, which are provided for free by the government.

Its Deputy Minister, Aiman Athirah Sabu, said the ministry, through the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), always strives to reduce the number of women who do not participate in these screenings.

"The good news is that throughout May, in conjunction with the Mother’s Day celebration, these two tests (mammogram and HPV DNA tests), as well as BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose tests, are given free of charge to all eligible women.

"The free mammogram and HPV DNA tests will continue until the end of the year,” she told reporters after officiating at the Women’s Well-Being Seminar here today.

LPPKN has been running the Mammogram Subsidy Programme since 2007, which has benefited 47,166 women in Penang as of April 2023.

The Cervical Cancer Screening Programme has been implemented since 2019, and 2,867 women in Penang have benefited from this programme as of last month.

Meanwhile, LPPKN deputy director-general (policy) Hairil Fadzly Md Akir said that understanding and awareness for early cancer detection is crucial in dealing with the increase in cases today.

He also said breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia, followed by colorectal and cervical cancer.

"Data from the National Cancer Registry Report 2012-2016 shows an increase in cancer cases detected in the advanced stage, i.e. stage three and four, to 47.9 per cent compared to 43.2 per cent recorded in the National Cancer Registry Report 2007-2011.

"This trend is very worrying and if no measures are taken to encourage more women, especially those at high risk, to undergo this screening test, the death rate from breast cancer will increase,” she said. — Bernama