PETALING JAYA: AI-powered lung health screening will be implemented in at least 150 clinics under the Health Ministry by next year, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister stated that the ministry has already begun preparing plans to equip these clinics with AI-powered lung health screening systems.
“Beyond just lung cancer, this screening will also look for common lung diseases like tuberculosis (TB), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“Occupational lung diseases like silicosis and asbestosis will also be able to be screened by this,” he said during a press conference after launching the “Live, Laugh, Lungs” lung health awareness campaign here on Saturday (Sept 6).
In May, the Health Ministry introduced AI-powered lung health screening to detect lung-related diseases among Malaysians at seven health clinics nationwide.
Dzulkefly revealed that the current average waiting time for patients diagnosed with lung cancer at ministry clinics or hospitals was two weeks.
“We are still looking at ways to improve efficiency, as most of these cases are only detected in the late stages.
“We recognise the need to ensure these cases are treated as quickly as possible,” he said.
With smoking being among the most common causes of lung disease, Dr Dzulkefly also revealed that 56.8% of smokers with a set quit date under the Ministry’s smoking Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) have successfully kicked the habit.
Dr Dzulkefly said this means a total of 4,916 out of 8,659 smokers who have set specific dates to quit smoking under NRT have successfully overcome the urge to smoke entirely.Dzulkefly Ahmad, MOH, AI, AI-Powered, Lung Health Screening, Smoking, Nicotine Replacement Therapy, NRT
