KUCHING: As a cancer advocacy group, Society for Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Kuching (SCAN) is in support of the government’s proposal to ban smoking and vaping for future generations.
SCAN consultant haematologist and medical advisor Dr Chew Lee Ping said it is a known fact that smoking is one of the deadliest causes of cancer which is the second leading cause of death in the nation, right after heart disease.
“I am glad that our government is putting forward a proposal to ban smoking for our future generations. This not only saves lives but also reduces our healthcare costs especially with the rising costs of cancer treatment,” she said in a statement issued by SCAN on Wednesday (July 20).
She said that it was hoped that despite resistance from various sectors, the government would stand firm to enforce the law.
As for breast and endocrine surgeon, another of SCAN’s medical advisor who also treats cancer, Dr Adibah Ali has seen patients go through unpleasant journeys from diagnosis to treatment completion.
“The biggest preventable factor that contributes to cancer is smoking. Tobacco does not only cause lung cancer, but it increases risk for 15 other cancers. I really appreciate the effort from our government to ban smoking and tobacco.
“I hope this effort will be consistently pursued and that it will gain support by a greater number of community groups and agencies,” she said.
Meanwhile, SCAN said according to the Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri), smoking prevalence is the highest among the bottom 40 per cent (B40) of income earners at 65 per cent, compared to 31 per cent among the middle 40 per cent (M40) and five per cent among the top 20 per cent (T20).
“In Malaysia even with basic universal healthcare, there is still a huge cancer care gap. With Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) being the only hospital with cancer healthcare services for the entire state of Sarawak, patients from rural areas have to travel further to get cancer care.
“In Sarawak, it is not unheard of that patients have to sell their belongings to afford the costs of travel, accommodation and treatment.
ewer cancer treatments and drugs are also getting much more expensive and may not be subsidised by the government.
“This has caused financial devastation to many patients and their families. Some patients have little choice but to give up treatments and succumb to cancer,” SCAN said.
The organisation also said the shortage of oncologists was also a glaring issue.
“In Sarawak, there are only six to seven oncologists available with the private hospitals’ numbers included, and they are all located in Kuching. Patients visiting SGH typically only get to see the oncologist during their initial diagnosis after a considerably long wait,” SCAN said.
SCAN said the inadequacy in the treatment facility within the oncological department in SGH was just as pathetic.
“Even if all cancer patients could make their way to SGH, the facilities, including the consultation room, are far from sufficient; the chemotherapy treatment room is usually packed with patients receiving treatment.
“Patients who come for consultations have to sit in cramped rooms, which are shared with other patients who are also consulting their medical officers. There is also a shortage in the number of beds at cancer wards for those needing admission (including patients from outstation/rural areas),” said SCAN.
SCAN president Chris Cheng, hoped that people across the political divide would come together to support the ban for the sake of the health of all Malaysians.
