Malaysia’s Health Ministry announced plans to extend respiratory care services to 902 clinics across the country by the end of this year, forming a core part of the Healthy Lung Initiative 2025–2030. The program directly targets lung disease, which remains among the leading causes of hospital admissions and deaths in the nation.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad explained that the initiative consolidates health promotion, screening, smoking cessation efforts, and referral pathways into a person-centred continuum of care. The focus is on managing chronic conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which burden a significant proportion of the population.
Data from the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey revealed that 6% of adults and up to 13% of children had asthma. About one in three people with asthma remain undiagnosed, while tuberculosis continues to place a significant burden on the country’s health system. In 2024, the tuberculosis incidence rate was recorded at 96 cases per 100,000 population.
The ministry will enhance early detection through expanded AI-assisted chest X-ray screening, including the LungShield IHH-KKM-PDRM program, which aims to proactively screen 10,000 frontline traffic police personnel. A dedicated database known as Nalury, or the National Lung Health Registry, has also been established to support programme monitoring and evaluation.
Enforcement of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) will be strengthened to protect young people from the marketing of vape and electronic cigarettes. Additionally, the Cik Era AI companion will provide accessible smoking cessation support through mobile devices.
Dr Dzulkefly emphasized the contributions of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (Respire), which unites partners from Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the United Kingdom to address respiratory health priorities through research, capacity building, and collaboration. He stressed the importance of maintaining collaborative efforts to translate research findings into clinical practice and policy.
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