Some Malaysians have spent RM1.5m just to get themselves ill: Deputy Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians are burning off some RM1.5 million in cigarettes just to fall ill, said Deputy Health director-general Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman.
In urging smokers to quit the habit, he said, some people who participated in the government's 'quit smoking program' had given up smoking.
"Although the program had benefited some, there are still millions out there who are smoking," he said at the MQuit services programme held at Mid Valley shopping centre here today.
There are some 4.7 million smokers in the country.
Dr Lokman said the government will inject RM5 million next year to benefit its clinics in purchasing smoke free medicines such as nicotine patch and pills.
He added about 200,000 Malaysians die every year due to smoking related complications, thus making it is very important for smokers to realise the negative impact not only towards themselves but to the nation as well.
"All of us know that smoking can cause heart attack, cancers and many other diseases. Besides that, in terms of the national economy, the nation will loose its productivity and has to bear the cost to treat smokers for diseases related to smoking,"he said.
The MQuit, Dr Lokman said is an initiative by the government to collaborate with the private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies to embark on the smoking cessation services which is currently provided by public hospitals and clinics.
To date, the government has approved 140 out of 216 private health services to participate in the programme.
Public can go to JomQuit.com.my to find out more about the programme.
The programme aims to help 390,000 smokers to quit in a timespan of three years.