KOTA KINABALU: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has allocated RM200 million for a total of 1.97 million workers aged above 40 to undergo health screening beginning January, Daily Express reported.
Socso Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Aziz Mohd said this was in line with the Budget announced by the Prime Minister on Sept. 28, that Socso would provide free health screening for workers above 40 years.
“In Sabah alone, we have about 918,000 workers and close to 250,000 workers above 40 are going to be screened in Sabah,” he told a media conference after launching the Socso Health Screening Briefing Programme held at Sutera Harbour, Tuesday.
“The intention is to screen the workers early from non-communicable disease that means lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.”
The reason, he said, was to detect diseases early and also to start prevention in order to not face complications from such diseases.
“We hope that we will continue to have a healthy workforce and for our workforce to continue with a healthy lifestyle,” he added.
In terms of breakdown, he said, 1.25 million men and 722,000 women are to be screened next year, adding that for men the cost is about RM85 and for women it’s RM205 because women have to go through mammogram and the Pap smear test.
He said the health screening is an on-going process and every year those who turn 40 would be part of those who need to be screened.
“This year Socso has allocated RM200 million for the 1.97million workers above 40 and for the years to come, Socso will also allocate a certain amount for the purpose,” he said.
On another note, he said, they are currently in the implementation stage of engaging with private clinics to brief them on the process and also getting employers to know about the programme.
“After that we will send the vouchers to employers and once they receive the voucher the employers will pass the vouchers to their workers and their workers can go to any clinic which is appointed under this health screening programme.
To a question, he said, they can’t give the list of clinics providing the screening right now because in Sabah they are actually engaging with more clinics for them to attend their briefing because they want the clinics to understand the process.
“If all the clinics here wish to be our partners then we would appoint all of them and only then we can provide the list of clinics.”
To another question, he said, Socso will just provide free screening and one’s employer will have to follow through to provide the medical benefit to their workers.
“If they do not have any medical benefits than Socso will provide a referral letter for them to go through the Ministry of Health system where they can go through the hospital to get treatment,” he said.
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