Cancer risks awareness among Kelantanese at 60 per cent - HRPZ II director

KOTA BHARU - The level of cancer awareness among the people of Kelantan, especially in detecting cancer at an early stage, has not yet reached its maximum level, said Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital (HRPZ II) director, Datuk Dr Selasawati Ghazali.

She said that thus far, only 60 per cent of the Kelantanese are aware of the disease and, the Health Ministry and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will intensify efforts to prevent and reduce the mortality rate.

"At HRPZ II, we have a lot of expertise and technologies to treat cancer patients. Awareness is very important to patients so that they can undergo treatment as soon as possible,” she told reporters after the one-day programme with cancer patients in conjunction with World Cancer Day 2022 here today.

At the event, some 135 cancer patients from all over Kelantan received cash aid from Yayasan Kaseh Kanser and Kronik (YKKK) and food baskets.

Dr Selasawati also called on cancer patients who have been diagnosed to immediately seek treatment instead of asking for a second opinion from family members and the community.

She added that the hospital is focusing on five major types of cancer detected in the state, namely breast, cervical, colon, lung and blood, of which each category had more than 100 new cases recorded in HRPZII. - BERNAMA