PETALING JAYA, Sept 7 — Smoking, vaping, air pollution, exposure to workplace chemicals and microbial infections are among the main causes of lung damage among Malaysians, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said the lungs are the most vulnerable organs to various forms of attack, contributing to an increase in chronic diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), influenza and Covid-19.
“The lung is the most ‘violated’ organ in the human body. Besides self-inflicted, occupational hazards and environmental hazards also contribute to lung violation,” he told reporters after launching the Live, Laugh, Lungs campaign in conjunction with World Lung Day here yesterday.
Dzulkefly said that apart from smoking and vaping, occupational factors such as exposure to asbestos, silica and hazardous chemical compounds, including gasoline, can also trigger serious lung diseases, particularly among industrial workers.
“Gasoline, for example, has been proven to be a carcinogen that can cause cancer. Workers exposed to such chemicals require strict protection and control,” he said.
He added that pathogenic microorganisms also attack the lungs, leading to diseases such as TB, influenza and COVID-19.
Statistics show respiratory diseases continue to burden the healthcare system, including 26,183 new TB cases recorded in 2024, nearly half a million children aged six to 17 affected by asthma, and over 1.4 million adults diagnosed with the same disease.
“Lung cancer remains among the top three cancers in Malaysia, while asthma and COPD have a significant impact on the quality of life of the community, including loss of productivity due to absenteeism from work or school,” he said.
Dzulkefly said that until December last year, 4,916 registered smokers from 857 quit smoking clinics nationwide had successfully quit the habit, representing 56.8 per cent of the 8,659 individuals committed to quitting smoking.
The Live, Laugh, Lungs campaign, organised by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM), Kenvue Malaysia and Watsons Malaysia, with the support of the Ministry of Health (MOH), ran from September 3 to 7.
Activities included lung health screenings through mobile clinics with artificial intelligence (AI)-based chest X-ray technology, smoking cessation services, interactive family-friendly educational activities and influenza vaccinations for the elderly. — Bernama
