Malaysia Moves to Strengthen National Lung Health Services
6 views Β· 20 May 2026
The Health Ministry is scaling up respiratory healthcare nationwide through integrated primary-care services and stronger public-private partnerships under the Lung Health Initiative Malaysia.
Malaysia is ramping up efforts to improve respiratory healthcare across the country through a more integrated approach and stronger public–private partnerships, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced at the Lung Health Forum held to mark the 79th World Health Assembly.
The Ministry of Health is focused on implementing Malaysia’s Lung Health Resolution, adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly — the first global resolution to place lung health at the centre of the world’s public-health agenda. One year on, the Minister said the resolution remains highly relevant as the same challenges continue to affect respiratory health outcomes globally.
Two key strategies
1. Integrated lung health services at the primary-care level. Prevention, screening, early detection and referral pathways are being combined into a more person-centred system. Services will include smoking-cessation support, vaccinations, tuberculosis treatment, lung cancer screening, asthma and COPD management, occupational health care and structured referrals. AI-assisted chest X-ray screening will be scaled up, including ultra-portable AI-enabled imaging for underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
2. Stronger public–private partnerships under the Lung Health Initiative Malaysia, bringing together nine strategic partners — including the National Cancer Society Malaysia, AstraZeneca and IHH Healthcare Malaysia — to strengthen community engagement, awareness, screening, diagnostics, access to care and patient support.
Nationwide rollout
The government aims to deliver integrated lung health services in 902 health clinics nationwide by the end of 2026, including 65 clinics offering occupational health services. These services will also be extended into workplaces — particularly for frontline and high-risk occupational groups — through the LungShield Programme.
“Integrated lung health services should be embedded within primary healthcare systems as it is the most key platform for prevention, early detection, risk reduction and long-term management of lung diseases.” — Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad
The next phase will focus on sustained implementation, measurable progress and stronger collaboration to improve respiratory health outcomes.
What this means for PAK LUNG
This national direction mirrors the PAK LUNG mission — integrated education, screening referrals, and whole-of-society partnerships toward a smoke-free Malaysia by 2040. PAK LUNG’s screening-referral system and partner network directly support these goals.
Source: Adapted from “Move to strengthen lung health services in Malaysia”, The Star, 20 May 2026. Read the original report here.