DIGESTIVE DISORDERS AMONG TOP 10 CAUSES OF MORTALITY IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- Digestive disorders are now one of the top
10 chronic disorders causing mortality in the country, Deputy Health Minister
Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said Saturday.

She said in 2006 and 2007, diseases of the digestive system ranked as the
seventh leading cause of deaths at goverment hospitals.

In 2008, they climbed up the rank to become the sixth primary cause of death
at the hospitals.

"This is not entirely surprising, considering the lifesyeles of many
Malaysians," Rosnah said when launching the World Digistive Health Day ceremony
at the Ikano Power Centre here.

According to the deputy minister, the most common digestive problems
currently
affecting locals include gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease,
irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer.

"The incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, especially, is steadily
increasing in Malaysia, as seen by the fact that colorectal cancer has been
reported to be the commonest cancer among men (16.2 per cent) and the second
commonest among women (10.6 per cent) in Peninsular Malaysia in 2006.

"Worldwide, the World Health Organisation reports that more than 940,000
colorectal cancer cases occur anually. Of these, almost 500,000 die from it each
year," said Rosnah.

She said the government had taken steps to curb digestive diseases and
ensure Malaysians received the highest possible level of digestive healthcare.

Rosnah said the ministry had also established the National Cancer Patient
Registry for colorectal cancer to systematically collect data on all aspects of
colorectal cancer in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA