The government has been urged to reduce subsidy for sugar as a means to discourage people from using sugar in their food and drinks daily, thus reducing the danger of diabetes among Malaysians.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said a reduction in subsidy for sugar, in stages, can reduce the consumption of sugar in their daily meals.
"The number of diabetic patients in the country has increased to 2.6 million or 15 percent of the total population. This is partly due to lack of control in the intake of sugar," he told reporters after opening a diabetes awareness campaign in the Segamat Parliamentary constituency at the Buloh Kasap
Multi-purpose hall, here, on Sunday.
He added that the figure (2.6 million) was not including about two million people who have not undergone medical checkup at government hospitals and clinics.
Dr Subramaniam said diabetic patients were also vulnerable to other diseases, including kidney ailments and eye sight.
He said based on statistics, there were 16,000 kidney patients in the waiting list for kidney transplant because there are only 40 to 50 organ donors a year.
- BERNAMA
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