The Ministry of Health (MOH) has established 33 Community Dialysis Units (CDUs) nationwide to make dialysis treatment more accessible, particularly for rural patients who would otherwise need to travel long distances to urban hospitals. Currently, 28 units are operational, with five more expected to begin service soon.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the units, located in rural health clinics, aim to reduce transportation costs while ensuring patients receive timely care.
“For dialysis services in rural areas, MOH has set up CDUs in health clinics to make treatment more convenient and reduce the need for patients to travel far,” he said during a parliamentary Q&A session.
Dr Dzulkefly added that over 120 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also operate dialysis centers, including in remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak, helping to ease the burden on patients.
The minister highlighted that dialysis treatment is shifting towards Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), including Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) and Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD), as alternatives to conventional hemodialysis.
In addition, the National Healthy Kidneys Action Plan 2026–2030 is set to be launched soon to strengthen prevention and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) nationwide.
Dr Dzulkefly also pointed out that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the leading cause of death in Malaysia, accounting for 73% of annual deaths—approximately 140,000 cases—far surpassing COVID-19 fatalities, which recorded 37,000 over two years. He described NCDs as a “silent pandemic” that persists throughout a patient’s life and can lead to serious complications, including kidney failure, emphasizing the need for continuous national health attention.
