KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 – The Selangor government is offering an RM800 incentive to Malaysian citizens residing in the state to get treated for tuberculosis (TB).
This includes treatment at public or private health care facilities in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur, including the Institute of Respiratory Medicine.
The Selangor state government announced that 903 recipients of the benefit successfully completed TB treatment last year.
Payment of the benefit to eligible recipients will be made in three phases throughout treatment: Phase 1 (RM200), Phase 2 (RM200), and Phase 3 (RM400).
The following supporting documents are requested alongside the application form for the benefit:
- A doctor’s note that the applicant has TB
- A copy of the TB medical log book (TBIS 10E)
- A copy of the applicant’s identity card
- A bank statement from the applicant with the applicant’s name and bank account details
- A copy of a document verifying the applicant’s residency in Selangor (for example, water bill, electricity bill, tenancy agreement etc).
The number of reported new TB cases in Malaysia increased by 17 per cent (3,664 cases) from 21,727 cases in 2021 to 25,391 cases in 2022. The notification rate in the same period rose from 63.5 per 100,000 population to 77.8 per 100,000 population.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, in a statement on World Tuberculosis Day last March 24, said the reported incidence rate in Malaysia was lower than World Health Organization (WHO) estimates for the country of 97 cases per 100,000 population.
“In line with that, efforts to increase case detection through early screening of TB must be increased,” she said.
“Individuals with a high risk of TB infection like contacts of TB cases, HIV patients, chronic kidney disease, obstructive chronic pulmonary disease, and active smokers are encouraged to go for TB screening.”
The number of TB deaths in Malaysia increased by 12 per cent (284 deaths) from 2,288 fatalities in 2021 to 2,572 deaths in 2022.
“Patients who stop or refuse to continue treatment can be punished under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342),” said Dr Zaliha.
