- 3 minutes ago
Malaysia spends nearly RM4.0 billion annually in direct healthcare costs specifically for treating cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Plus, when factoring in indirect economic costs—such as early retirement, workplace absenteeism, and premature deaths among the working-age population— CVD costs the Malaysian economy an astronomical RM60+ billion per year in total losses, equivalent to roughly 3.5% to 4.0% of annual GDP.
In fact, CVD accounts for 62.9% of all lost national productivity caused by premature deaths.
This World Heart Day, join Tehmina Kaoosji as she speaks to Datuk Dr Shaiful Azmi Yahaya, Chief Clinical Officer & Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) and H.E. Kirstine Vangkilde Berner, Ambassador of Denmark to Malaysia about how Malaysia can ensure people have healthier hearts, to be productive and independent for longer via collaborative efforts across healthcare, government, industries and communities.
Plus, when factoring in indirect economic costs—such as early retirement, workplace absenteeism, and premature deaths among the working-age population— CVD costs the Malaysian economy an astronomical RM60+ billion per year in total losses, equivalent to roughly 3.5% to 4.0% of annual GDP.
In fact, CVD accounts for 62.9% of all lost national productivity caused by premature deaths.
This World Heart Day, join Tehmina Kaoosji as she speaks to Datuk Dr Shaiful Azmi Yahaya, Chief Clinical Officer & Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) and H.E. Kirstine Vangkilde Berner, Ambassador of Denmark to Malaysia about how Malaysia can ensure people have healthier hearts, to be productive and independent for longer via collaborative efforts across healthcare, government, industries and communities.
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NewsTranscript
00:08Hello, I'm Tamina Koushi and this is Nyaga Spotlight.
00:11Today our spotlight falls on World Heart Day 2026 and Malaysia's hidden heart risk.
00:17Heart Day, of course, is commemorated every year on September the 29th, which was just earlier this week.
00:23Now, heart disease is usually discussed as a health problem.
00:26But when it also begins to affect people in their prime working years, it does actually become a bigger economic
00:32issue too.
00:33Now, some interesting statistics as far as Malaysia is concerned.
00:37We spend upwards of roughly RM4 billion annually on cardiovascular-related diseases or CVD.
00:45Now, out of that as well, when you factor in indirect economic costs such as early retirement,
00:50there's also workplace absenteeism, as well as premature deaths amongst our working-age population,
00:56what all of that leads to is that CVD's burden to the Malaysian economy is actually in excess of an
01:03estimated staggering RM60 billion.
01:07So, that's equivalent to roughly 3.4 to 4% of our annual GDP.
01:12And in fact, CVD accounts for around 62.9% odd of all lost national productivity caused by premature deaths.
01:22So, adding all of this together, this World Heart Day, the bigger question is,
01:28can Malaysia keep its workforce heart-healthy and productive, not just today,
01:33but at the same time ensuring more of us reach older age, able to remain active, as well as independent?
01:38To discuss this really interesting topic further, welcoming to the studios today,
01:43Datuk Dr. Shaiful Azmi Yahya, Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Consultant Cardiologist at Institute Jantung Negara, IJN.
01:50Together with Her Excellency Kirsten Van Kilburner, Ambassador of Denmark to Malaysia.
01:57A very good morning to the both of you. Thank you so much for making time.
01:59Good morning.
02:00Good morning.
02:01Fantastic. So, Datuk Shaiful.
02:03Dr. Shaiful, now for viewers who may only hear about World Heart Health Day topically,
02:08give us a little bit of a brief overview and what it also means to IJN and to yourself as
02:13well,
02:14as an active and working cardiologist with decades of experience in Malaysia.
02:19So, World Heart Day is celebrated around the world on the 29th of September and we should take it as
02:27it is not for only one day.
02:28In fact, it should be every day.
02:30So, in IJN, we are having a programme for which we are doing a screening and education for our patients
02:38for two weeks from 14th until the 30th of September.
02:42And we have many programmes set up for our patients and those visitors to our area.
02:47Fantastic. And Ambassador Verna, it's a pleasure to welcome you to the Awani studios.
02:52Tell us a little more about the Kingdom of Denmark and your involvement, of course,
02:57with Malaysian partners and collaborators for this year's World Heart Day.
03:01Thank you. Thank you so much, Tamina, for inviting me to this important discussion today.
03:07So, first of all, I think World Heart Day is really an important reminder that this is not only about
03:14clinical issues.
03:16This is really about prevention, collaboration and awareness.
03:21So, in Denmark, we also mark World Heart Day.
03:25We share the same challenges that we will be talking about today.
03:28In fact, every second Dane will, throughout the life cycle, experience heart-related diseases.
03:35And 50% of those can be prevented.
03:39So, that's why I'm very happy to be part of the discussion today.
03:44Absolutely. And it's also pretty interesting.
03:46And hopefully, you'll be able to share a little more as we go on,
03:49since Denmark has also completely restructured cardiac services over the past few decades,
03:55leading to not just a rise in your own individual standards,
03:59but also a huge reduction in cardiovascular diseases and risk.
04:04Dr. Scheifel, bringing the conversation back right into Malaysia.
04:08Now, heart disease continues to be one of our major medical challenges and health as well.
04:14So, what are our latest statistics for 2026 now telling us?
04:19And where is IJN seeing opportunities for improvement?
04:23Well, I can say that as of 2024,
04:27our statistics says that there's 17,000 deaths due to ischemic heart disease.
04:32Now, that's about 13% of the cause of death for the whole of Malaysia.
04:37I believe the number is bigger,
04:39because that number is confined to ischemic heart disease.
04:43Remember, we also have valvular heart disease,
04:46we have congenital heart disease,
04:48we have heart failure,
04:49which will comprise more than what it was before.
04:53So, if you see that number,
04:55it tells us that almost 50% of the deaths are related to heart,
05:01and therefore, it's very important for us to understand what's going on.
05:06So, if we look into the other risk factors of ischemic heart disease,
05:11you have heard many people say obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking,
05:20as a few of the instances of risk factors.
05:25Now, I would like to bring you to this, yeah?
05:27Malaysians, 50% of them are obese.
05:31That's right.
05:32Adults and increasingly children as well.
05:34Correct.
05:35Now, 20% of us, let's say there's five people,
05:40one of them will be diabetes.
05:41That's Malaysia.
05:43So, the numbers are worrisome.
05:46If you ask me, why are we facing this?
05:48I would say it's because of our lifestyle.
05:51Yeah.
05:52Many, many years ago, you know,
05:54people are much slimmer than we are now,
05:56but because of economics, perhaps,
06:00because of availability of food,
06:02stress factors that you're having every day,
06:05lack of exercise.
06:06People have been changing their lifestyle,
06:08and this is what we're seeing.
06:10A lot more people who are obese, yeah?
06:13And that brings us to the main topic today,
06:16which is heart disease.
06:18So, it is something that we really need to look into seriously from now.
06:23Absolutely.
06:23And I was also reading that there is actually a gender disparity.
06:28It strikes men significantly harder in Malaysia,
06:31accounting for up to 15% odd and upwards
06:35of male early and premature deaths in Malaysia.
06:38And, of course, there are social-cultural factors as well.
06:42In Malaysia, we actually ask,
06:43which basically is a way of asking,
06:46have you eaten yet?
06:47And that's our way of welcoming each other.
06:50But to remain on topic and remain serious too,
06:54Ambassador Berner,
06:55tell us a little more about collaboration
06:57between six key components,
07:01which is government,
07:02there's healthcare,
07:03industry, academia,
07:05civil society,
07:06and also communities.
07:08And taking from perhaps the Danish example itself,
07:11how this has proved to be so important
07:14when it comes to cardiovascular disease
07:16and heart health.
07:18Thank you so much.
07:20I think what we take from the embassy point of view
07:24is really a broad approach.
07:27So, in Denmark,
07:28we have a long tradition
07:29in working in public-private partnerships.
07:32Yes.
07:32So, this means that we bring to the table
07:35all relevant stakeholders
07:37to tackle a specific challenge.
07:40And what we're really talking about here today
07:43is how we create healthier societies, right?
07:47So, I think this is really a topic
07:50where all actors are needed
07:53in terms of getting all the way around the problem, right?
07:58So, you bring in a public agency,
08:02you bring in the scientists,
08:03you bring in the doctor,
08:05you also bring in maybe an architect
08:07or an urban planner
08:08to actually discuss
08:10how can we build a healthier society
08:12where people are able
08:14to really make the healthy choice for themselves.
08:18So, this is not about the individual.
08:20It's not only about the systems.
08:22It's about a collaborative approach.
08:25And that's what we are...
08:27That's how we work here in Malaysia
08:29as the Danish embassy.
08:31So, we have concrete flagship projects
08:34that works in this manner.
08:36Absolutely.
08:37And especially when it comes
08:40to cardiovascular diseases,
08:41a really important point,
08:43just like many other systemic diseases,
08:45is that it does not stand alone.
08:48It's not in a box.
08:49And also, it's a health-related
08:52or a crisis of sorts building
08:54driven by this lifestyle,
08:56this environment,
08:57there's also economics,
08:58as well as biology.
09:00You can, of course,
09:02encourage people
09:03from a workplace approach
09:04to say you need to be
09:06a little more active.
09:07But, however,
09:08if parks are not accessible enough,
09:10that may actually be
09:11a bit of a stumbling block, right?
09:14Ambassador Berner,
09:15would you be able to share
09:16a little more perhaps
09:17about what also works
09:19on the ground
09:20in Denmark itself
09:21and the past few decades
09:23of changing,
09:25especially lifestyle-related options
09:28that has led to
09:29a more heart-healthy society
09:30that hopefully we in Malaysia
09:32also can take some lessons from?
09:35Yes, I would be happy to.
09:37And if you allow,
09:37then let me take us
09:38back to Copenhagen, maybe.
09:40Sure.
09:41I think this is really about
09:43what we talked about before,
09:44being able to make
09:45the healthy choice, right?
09:47So Denmark has a long-standing experience
09:51in creating healthy societies,
09:54building healthy cities
09:55around people.
09:57So we have a very
09:58people-centered approach.
09:59this goes to the way
10:01we plan the cities,
10:02how close the school is
10:04to the public transport,
10:08what kind of choices
10:09people are able to make
10:10in their daily life.
10:12If I can bring myself
10:14as an example,
10:16when I live in Copenhagen,
10:18I take my bike
10:19from my home to work.
10:21It's 7.5 kilometers,
10:23and I take my bike home again.
10:25I'm only able to do that
10:27because we have safe bike lanes,
10:30we have traffic lights
10:32for the bike lanes.
10:34So the whole city
10:35is really structured
10:37around giving me
10:39the opportunity
10:40to have a healthy choice
10:42in transporting myself to work.
10:44So this is really just
10:46a very down-to-earth,
10:48daily example
10:49on how we can do this.
10:50But I think coming back
10:51to how we can work
10:53more structured
10:54with these challenges,
10:55it is really working
10:57in partnerships,
10:58and the partnership approach
11:00that we have been
11:02embarking on here in Malaysia,
11:04if you allow,
11:05I can give one example.
11:06Yes, please.
11:07We have launched
11:08our flagship project
11:10that we call
11:11the Green Transition Alliance.
11:13And you can say,
11:13what does Green Transition Alliance
11:15has to do with
11:16cardiovascular disease?
11:18But it has a lot to do with it.
11:20So in this alliance
11:22at the embassy,
11:23we bring together
11:25public government offices
11:27in Malaysia.
11:28We bring in Danish expertise
11:29from Danish companies.
11:31We bring in also the NGOs,
11:33the communities,
11:35scientists,
11:35around the table
11:37to discuss
11:38concrete challenges.
11:41And when you do that,
11:42you actually look
11:43at a problem
11:44from different angles.
11:45Exactly.
11:46And one very concrete example
11:49is that we have
11:50recently held
11:51a specific discussion
11:53around what we call
11:54healthy urban living.
11:56So it's really about,
11:58you know,
11:59the street you walk in,
12:00the building you work in,
12:02the park where you want
12:03to take your family.
12:05the daily choices.
12:07Ambassador Berner,
12:08as well as Dr. Scheifel,
12:09thank you so much
12:10for the discussion so far.
12:11We take a quick break.
12:12We'll be right back
12:13with the rest of the discussion
12:14right here on Niagara Spotlight.
12:15Don't go anywhere.
12:35Welcome back to Niagara Spotlight.
12:37Still with me,
12:37Tamina Kausji.
12:38And today's topic of the day
12:39is looking at,
12:40of course,
12:40Malaysia's hidden heart
12:42health risk
12:43in conjunction
12:44with World Heart Day,
12:45which was just
12:46on the 29th of September.
12:48Going back
12:48into the conversation,
12:49I'm Dr. Scheifel.
12:50Now,
12:51our recent findings
12:52from our NHMS,
12:54the National Health
12:54and Mobidity Survey,
12:55they also do continue
12:57to highlight concerns
12:58around the trifecta of issues,
13:00which are our NCDs
13:01of obesity,
13:02diabetes,
13:03hypertension,
13:04and connected to that also
13:05cardiovascular risk factors
13:07amongst Malaysians.
13:08Now,
13:09let's dig a little bit deeper
13:10about the future burden,
13:12which in a sense
13:13is already rearing its head
13:15as we are seeing
13:16the patient demographic
13:18for CVD
13:20actually rapidly shift.
13:22What are the things
13:22which IGN specialists,
13:24including yourself,
13:25have already observed
13:26in the past few years?
13:28Yeah.
13:29If I can take you back
13:30more than a few years,
13:32I'm bringing you to work.
13:33Sure.
13:3320, 30 years ago?
13:34Sure.
13:35When I was trained
13:37to become a young doctor
13:39back then,
13:40we don't have
13:41nasi lemak
13:42at 10 o'clock
13:43at night, yeah?
13:44We don't have
13:45a 2 a.m.
13:47day tarik
13:47by that time, yeah?
13:48That was in
13:49the early 1990s.
13:50But now you can see
13:52mushrooming
13:53of all these eateries
13:55and it's free for all.
13:57Anybody can get
13:58anything after midnight.
14:00Sure.
14:00That's one lifestyle
14:01that I feel
14:03is contributing as well.
14:06In 1990s,
14:07you see a patient
14:10with three vessel disease
14:11undergoing
14:11coronary artery
14:12bypass grafting surgery
14:14at the age of 60 and 70.
14:17If you did at all.
14:19Yeah.
14:19The incidence
14:20was also much lower
14:21I'm assuming.
14:21Much lower I believe
14:22but probably
14:23under-reporting as well.
14:24I understood.
14:25But now in 2026,
14:26you see 30-year-old,
14:2840-year-old
14:29who needed intervention
14:30for the coronary artery
14:31including bypass surgery.
14:33So that by itself
14:34speaks volume
14:36about the problem
14:37that we are facing.
14:38It's a lifestyle problem.
14:40Definitely this is
14:41a lifestyle disease
14:42and we are facing
14:43the brunt of it now
14:44with all these complications
14:46coming by.
14:47So the average age
14:48of a Malaysian
14:50who also suffers
14:51from let's say
14:52a heart attack
14:53is also getting
14:54lower and lower.
14:55Yes.
14:55And is it lower
14:56or higher
14:57than the global average?
14:59Where are we
15:00on that scale?
15:01Now,
15:02when I mention
15:0350% obese
15:04and 20% diabetes
15:06among Malaysians,
15:07I believe the numbers
15:08are going to get
15:09much more significant
15:11than the rest of the world.
15:12Bear for it.
15:13So another interesting factor
15:16and perhaps Dr. Schaifel
15:17you can dig a little deeper
15:18on that
15:18is that
15:19our national clinical registries
15:22are showing
15:22that only around 2%
15:24of our acute
15:25heart attack patients
15:27actually had
15:28zero
15:28pre-existing risk.
15:31That is actually
15:32pointing to
15:33and correct me
15:34if I'm wrong,
15:3498%
15:35avoidable
15:37cardiovascular disease risk.
15:39Well,
15:40that is where
15:41it is important
15:42for us to
15:43actually keep track
15:44on our health.
15:44The problem
15:45with Malaysians
15:46is that
15:46we do not check
15:47our health,
15:48we don't do
15:49health screening
15:50and yet we
15:51continue to perform
15:52these high-risk
15:53activities
15:54and smoking
15:56is one
15:56and lack
15:58of exercise
15:59among our population.
16:01That is where
16:02this thing
16:03may get worse
16:04and worse.
16:04If you mention
16:05about 2%
16:06who are
16:07without risk factor
16:08then I believe
16:09those who get
16:10heart attacks
16:11are actually
16:11for those
16:12who do not
16:13know their
16:14problems earlier.
16:15In Malaysia
16:16we do not
16:16do post-mortem
16:18regularly
16:19so we are
16:20missing most
16:21of those data
16:22because of
16:23understanding
16:24the cost of
16:24death itself.
16:25Now,
16:26looking ahead
16:26Ambassador Berner,
16:27what role
16:28can perhaps
16:29Denmark-Malaysia
16:30collaboration play
16:31and responsible
16:33innovation as well
16:34so that we can
16:35ensure that we are
16:36building a healthier
16:37more resilient
16:38society.
16:40What I really
16:40think that we
16:41can do together
16:42is building
16:43a strong
16:44partnership
16:45Denmark-Malaysia
16:46and we are
16:46actually already
16:47doing that
16:48in terms of
16:49bringing our
16:50expertise to
16:51Malaysia,
16:51bringing Danish
16:52solutions,
16:53Danish innovation
16:54to Malaysia
16:54and it is not
16:56about only
16:57taking solutions
16:59from Denmark
16:59and bringing
17:01them to Malaysia.
17:02it is really
17:02about translating
17:03and putting
17:06into practice
17:08the lessons
17:09learned that we
17:09have from Denmark
17:10adapting it to
17:12a local context
17:13in Malaysia
17:14and this is where
17:15the embassy also
17:16plays a role.
17:17We facilitate,
17:18we convene
17:19these discussions
17:20and where we are
17:21really strong
17:22from a Danish
17:23side I think
17:24is again in this
17:25broad partnership
17:26approach that we
17:27have so we really
17:28want to all actors
17:30around the same
17:31table to discuss
17:32the current
17:33challenges.
17:34Exactly, so the
17:35current challenges
17:36of course, one of
17:37the easiest wins
17:38would obviously be
17:39when it comes to
17:41urban living,
17:42ensuring that
17:42people are able
17:43to get more
17:44active throughout
17:44their day and
17:46you had actually
17:46mentioned the
17:48collaboration which
17:49had to do with
17:50the green ecology
17:51as well.
17:52So all of this
17:53is very timely
17:54and as we're
17:54moving along,
17:55Dr. Scheifel,
17:56how do you feel
17:57Malaysia can shift
17:58from a healthcare
17:59system that
18:00mainly treats
18:01disease outcomes
18:03into a preventive
18:05care model?
18:06Yeah, thank you.
18:08Now, this is
18:09where education
18:10comes in and
18:12realisation that
18:13everybody should
18:14actually look
18:15after themselves.
18:17No more, you
18:18know, no checkups,
18:20you know, leave
18:20as they like,
18:21but we should
18:23encourage people
18:25to come for
18:26checkup.
18:27Education-wise,
18:28we can teach
18:29them on the
18:30disease symptoms
18:32and offering
18:34them medical
18:35checkups, even
18:36though it should
18:37be done yearly,
18:38but not everybody
18:39does that.
18:40So if we can
18:41allow them to
18:42come by and
18:43do checkups
18:45regularly, I
18:46think that will
18:47in fact detect
18:49many patients
18:50who have risk
18:51factors and the
18:52ways to handle
18:53them as they
18:55go along.
18:55it is not
18:57cost-effective
18:58for someone
18:59to fall sick
19:00than only to
19:01realise that
19:02they are having
19:03this and that,
19:04you know, as
19:05there are risk
19:05factors.
19:06It's for them to
19:07understand that
19:08much earlier,
19:09prevent them from
19:10happening, and
19:11hopefully they will
19:12live healthier for
19:13a better population
19:15of Malaysia.
19:16Yes, absolutely,
19:17and perhaps given
19:19that Malaysia is
19:20so highly
19:20digitised, there
19:22is an opportunity
19:23to interact and
19:24integrate maybe
19:26hyperlocal digital
19:27tools that can
19:28actually identify
19:29who hasn't been
19:31for their annual
19:32checkup.
19:33I don't think it's
19:34about saying that
19:34whether you're
19:35having or experiencing
19:36symptoms, because
19:37that's already going
19:38into the territory
19:39of medicine which is
19:41treating disease, but
19:42way before you even
19:43have it.
19:44So, lots of ideas
19:45and lots of things
19:46that can actually be
19:47done.
19:48Actually, and
19:50landing out the
19:51discussion, Dr.
19:52Scheifel, perhaps
19:52quickly, if you could
19:53share with us IGN's
19:55vision in the years
19:56to come, and in
19:57particular, this
19:58crucial period of
19:59time when we are
20:00seeing an increase
20:01in cardiovascular
20:02disease, younger
20:03Malaysians, but that
20:05will also mean that
20:06as we are concurrently
20:08an aging society, we
20:10are going to be
20:10then inevitably
20:12growing into
20:13less healthier
20:15than we were
20:16before while
20:17we're aging.
20:19Yeah, as IGN
20:20as the leading
20:22heart institution
20:23in Malaysia, we
20:23have to take
20:24the lead.
20:25Like I mentioned
20:26earlier, the
20:27prevention and
20:28the education
20:28is important.
20:29At the same time,
20:29we're trying our best
20:30to be at the
20:31cutting edge of
20:32medical advances.
20:34And currently, as of
20:35the World Heart
20:37Day, like I
20:38mentioned earlier,
20:38here we have a
20:39program, we call
20:42upon people to
20:44come to IGN for
20:45check-ups as well
20:46as doing their
20:47medical checks for
20:49echocardiogram.
20:50We offer echocardiogram
20:52for those who are in
20:54the correct age group
20:54with symptoms.
20:56If they have
20:57difficulty breathing,
20:58chest pain and
20:58whatnot, we allow
20:59them to come and we
21:01do free screening.
21:03So that's part of
21:04our job as part
21:05of our CSR as
21:06well.
21:07So we also go
21:08out into the
21:10rural areas and
21:11offering this and
21:12we want to work
21:14closely with our
21:15KKM counterparts
21:16because they are
21:17very important to
21:18us in terms of
21:20providing the best
21:21services.
21:22Yes, absolutely.
21:23And very quickly,
21:24if I can ask for
21:25one final thought
21:26from each of you
21:27in conjunction with
21:28World Heart Day,
21:29Ambassador Berna.
21:30Again, I think it's
21:32really about a
21:33whole-of approach,
21:34whole-of society,
21:36whole-of government
21:37also.
21:38So breaking down
21:38the silos, bringing
21:40all actors to the
21:41table and do not
21:42forget to include
21:43communities.
21:45Listening to the
21:46citizens and
21:47responding to their
21:48needs is very
21:48important also.
21:50Dr. Schaifo?
21:51The theme for this
21:52year is every bid
21:54counts.
21:55So to us it's a
21:56very important
21:57time and timely
21:59that we sit
22:00together and
22:01ensure that
22:02all Malaysians get
22:03their chance to
22:05actually getting
22:06their checkups
22:07and treatment
22:08as warranted.
22:10And on time.
22:11Thank you very
22:12much.
22:12That's Dr. Schaifo
22:13as well as
22:14Ambassador Berna.
22:15Well, this World
22:15Heart Day, perhaps
22:16the most important
22:17investment will be
22:18not simply just
22:19living longer but
22:19living heart
22:20healthier for
22:21longer.
22:22Thank you for
22:22joining us for
22:23this important
22:24discussion.
22:24I'm Tamina
22:25Kowstri signing
22:26off for now.
22:27See you again
22:27next week with
22:28more economic
22:28analysis and
22:29insights right
22:30here on
22:30Nyaga Spotlight.