Wan Saiful: Diabetes patients at risk after Putrajaya budget cuts

Bersatu policy and strategy bureau deputy chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said diabetes patients are at risk after Putrajaya slashed the budget for tests related to the disease.

Citing a letter from the Federal Territories Health Department to the district health officers in Titiwangsa, Kepong, Cheras, Putrajaya and Lembah Pantai, Wan Saiful said that the number of times HbA1c tests are carried out would be reduced to only once a year.

He pointed out that the best practice was to conduct the HbA1c test, which shows one's average blood sugar level, four times a year.

"The Umno-led BN government has failed to manage the country's coffers to the point that the health of Malaysians is at risk, especially low-income families in Kuala Lumpur," he said in a statement today.

According to the letter shared with Malaysiakini, it said the budget cut was for 2018.

"As informed, there is a budget cut for 2018. With regret, those affected following the budget cut include the purchase of reagent for the HbA1c test.

"Based on the number of reagents that will be purchased, each patient can only undergo one HbA1c test for the whole of 2018," it said.

Wan Saiful said according to latest National Health and Morbidity Survey, almost one in five Malaysian adults has diabetes.

"This is worrying and makes regular monitoring all the more imperative. HbA1c is a test to determine if their diabetes is under control. It should be done every three months, or four times a year.

"If regular monitoring is not undertaken, patients face increased risks of kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and blindness," he warned.

Wan Saiful accused Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also the finance minister, as well as Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani, who is also the Titiwangsa MP, of failing to manage the national debt to the extent of putting the welfare of Malaysians at risk.

"I urge them to reveal fully all the services have they reduced or cancelled as a result of their failure in financial management," he said. -Mkini