Sabah health officials urge early vascular disease screening

Sabah's Minister of Women, Health and People's Wellbeing, Datuk Julita Majungki, has urged residents, particularly those in high-risk groups, to undergo early screening for vascular diseases. Speaking at the Vascular Disease Awareness Campaign at Hospital Queen Elizabeth II (HQE II), she warned that these conditions can often progress without obvious symptoms before becoming life-threatening.

Key conditions highlighted include abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), where a weak part of the aorta expands and risks fatal internal bleeding if it ruptures, and peripheral artery disease (PAD), which involves the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels supplying the limbs. Warning signs to monitor include leg pain or cramping while walking, numbness, skin color changes, swelling, and slow-healing wounds.

To reduce risks, the Minister recommended lifestyle adjustments such as quitting smoking, managing blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and staying physically active.