Improving access to anaemia screening

UNIVERSITI Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) is expanding access to free screening for anaemia and optional dengue vaccination for eligible children aged 7 to under 12 across the Klang Valley.

Anaemia is a condition that frequently goes undetected. Affected children may tire quickly, find it hard to concentrate in school, appear pale or seem to lack energy. Left unrecognised, anaemia can impair learning, growth and development.

Children with anaemia are also more vulnerable to severe illness if they contract dengue, making early detection doubly important in dengue-endemic settings.

The expansion of this programme builds on an encouraging turnout at earlier programmes across the Klang Valley and aims to reach more families amid Malaysia's growing dengue burden.

By Oct 14, more than 76,000 dengue cases had been reported nationwide.

Children with dengue are two times more likely to develop severe dengue compared with adults. For children and their families, dengue can mean hospitalisation, missed school and time away from everyday activities. Fatigue can persist for several weeks after recovery, while parents may need time off work to provide care.

Between May and October this year, more than 3,600 children took part in the programme, with 60-70 per cent opting to receive dengue vaccination.

"The response so far has been encouraging, and we want more families to be able to participate. By holding more sessions close to home and at weekends, we hope to make it easier for parents to have their children screened and discuss dengue prevention," says UMMC public health medicine specialist Professor Dr Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki.

Families are also encouraged to remove mosquito breeding sites, prevent mosquito bites and seek medical advice promptly if dengue is suspected.