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In a written parliamentary reply, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said his ministry has recorded 41 Evali cases from 2019 to Sept 30 this year.
He said that to date, the cost borne by the government for treating Evali is estimated at RM150,892.11 for each patient hospitalised for 12 days.
He warned that the cost of treating such cases is expected to soar exponentially by the end of the decade.
“If no measures are taken to control the use of electronic cigarettes or vaping, the treatment costs are expected to surge to RM369 million annually by 2030,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus) about Evali statistics and the treatment costs borne by the government.
Dzulkefly said the implementation of the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, which came into force on Oct 1, is expected to help curb the use of electronic cigarettes and vaping, particularly among children and teenagers.
He said this measure is not only aimed at protecting young people from the influence of e-cigarettes, but also at reducing the future treatment costs which the government will have to bear.
The Act includes bans on advertising, promotion, sponsorship, and the sale of electronic cigarette products to minors.
45% decrease in HFMD cases
Dzulkefly said hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in the country have seen a 45% decrease this year.
In a separate written parliamentary reply, he said 53,864 cases were recorded as of Sept 28 compared with 97,174 cases in the same period last year.
The majority of the cases involved children aged one to six years, which account for 71%.
“Most HFMD cases recover on their own without requiring specific treatment, and so far, there have been no deaths attributed to HFMD in 2023 and 2024,” he said.
Dzulkefly said his ministry has improved surveillance of HFMD cases through the infectious disease monitoring system to detect such cases earlier.
He said the health ministry has also launched extensive health awareness campaigns via social media, posters, and talks to educate the public about HFMD symptoms, its transmission, and preventive measures.
He said the ministry also encourages personal hygiene practices such as frequent handwashing with soap, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
Business operators with children’s play areas are also advised to take proactive steps in cleaning and sanitising such places to reduce the risk of transmission.
He was was responding to Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) about the latest data on HFMD and the ministry’s measures to address the disease.
HFMD is a disease mainly caused by the Coxsackie virus A16 (CA16) and Enterovirus 71 (EV71), which spread through direct contact via nasal fluid, saliva, blisters and the faeces of those infected.
The symptoms include fever, painful blister-like sores in the mouth, and rashes that may appear as blisters.
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