KUALA LUMPUR: The Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat (ANMS) launched today, is as preparation to help Keluarga Malaysia (the Malaysian Family) face and cope with the endemic phase of COVID-19, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Prime Minister said ANMS is aimed at cultivating a healthy lifestyle and promoting environmental sustainability to support the health and wellbeing of Keluarga Malaysia.

He said the agenda, a health wellness package which had been researched, planned and subsequently introduced by the government through the Health Ministry as the main driver, is participated directly by the Housing and Local Government Ministry with the involvement of other ministries and agencies.

"The ANMS agenda is for a period of 10 years, from 2021 to 2030 and the implementation is to be divided into two terms; the first from 2021 until 2025, and the second from 2026 and will end in 2030."

He said this when launching ANMS which was aired over TV 1's Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme today.

Ismail Sabri said for the agenda to succeed, the government has adopted the Whole of Nation approach, by building strategic partnership with all parties.

"The government is responsible for formulating ANMS' direction, strategy and initiatives, while the private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are the driving force behind the strategy and initiatives introduced," he said.

The Prime Minister said ANMS involved four main thrusts, namely strengthening promotion of a healthy lifestyle, improving health wellness services, enhancing self-health management and promoting a clean environment, covering 10 strategies and 24 initiatives

"I have high hopes that, through ANMS, Keluarga Malaysia will continue to practise the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that have been set, embrace the new norms, get vaccinated and take care of their health by getting screened or remain in quarantine if they have symptoms or come into contact with someone with COVID-19," he said.

According to Ismail Sabri, the agenda is also being emphasised in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) especially in improving the delivery of healthcare services where the strategies, among others is to improve health literacy and health awareness among Keluarga Malaysia.

The Prime Minister said the government had also decided to formulate a National Health Literacy Policy which would implement several initiatives including organisation of healthcare awareness programmes which would be intensified through various platforms, at all levels by utilising facilities under various agencies.

"To ensure that the health literacy of Keluarga Malaysia can be improved, the Ejen Kesihatan Komuniti or MyCHAMPION capacity building programme will be strengthened, especially in education and health promotion efforts," he said.

With a high level of health literacy, Ismail Sabri hopes that Keluarga Malaysia will get health information, cultivate a healthy lifestyle, adopt self-health control as an initial action to prevent diseases and maintain health to avoid complications.

"For example, Keluarga Malaysia among the B40 (lower income) group will have access to health information, understand the importance of healthcare, and undergo free health screening through the PekaB40 scheme.

"This allows us to identify health risks earlier and make health interventions either at the Wellness Hub (Hub Sejahtera), health clinics or hospitals, according to the health status," he said.

He added that through the effort, Keluarga Malaysia would not only be able to cultivate a healthy life, allay the risk of disease and reduce the cost of treatment and rehabilitation, but also be able to live a better quality of life.

Ismail Sabri further assured that with the noble aspiration, the government is committed to providing adequate allocations to ensure that ANMS can be successful and fully benefit Keluarga Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA