The launch at Dataran Maybank was attended by Dato’ Dr Saunthari Somasundaram, President of NCSM, and Leong Su Yern, Chief Executive Officer, Etiqa Life Insurance Berhad. More than 200 underprivileged women also took part in interactive workshops on breast health awareness and hands-on self-examination techniques.
Building on the success of six previous phases of Etiqa’s Free Mammogram Programme, which has screened a total of 34,595 women since 2017, the introduction of the digital self-breast examination kit in Phase 7 marks a major advancement in outreach and accessibility. The kit enables women to conduct private, at-home checks and become proactive in their breast health journey. The materials in the kit will be available in multiple languages to cater to Malaysia’s diverse population and eliminate language-related barriers.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among Malaysian women, accounting for 38.9% of all new female cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, according to the Malaysia National Cancer Registry Report. This marks a rise from 34.1% in the previous period (2012–2016). Even more concerning is the growing number of late-stage diagnoses (Stage 3 and 4), which increased from 48% to 50.5%. This programme directly addresses the gap in early detection, particularly among underserved communities.
Leong Su Yern, Chief Executive Officer of Etiqa Life Insurance Berhad said, “With the launch of Phase 7 of Etiqa’s Free Mammogram Programme with NCSM, Etiqa reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that underprivileged women have access to early breast cancer detection, so that no one is left behind in the fight against the disease. Breast cancer has touched countless lives, and through this programme, we are empowering women with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to take charge of their own health. Together with NCSM, we envision a future where breast cancer is detected early, treated effectively, and one day, no longer be a threat to loved ones and friends. At Etiqa, Making the World a Better Place is more than just a tagline, it is our promise to care for the communities we serve.”
“We are incredibly proud to continue our vital partnership with Etiqa through Phase 7 of this impactful programme,” said Dato’ Dr Saunthari Somasundaram, President of NCSM. “Early detection is the cornerstone of effective breast cancer treatment. By offering free mammograms and empowering women with self-examination kits in multiple languages, we are helping remove critical barriers to care. We remain committed to ensuring every woman, regardless of background, has access to potentially life-saving screening and education.”
Etiqa and NCSM’s collaboration began in July 2017, with Etiqa having committed RM 11.7million to fund free screenings for underprivileged women nationwide. In Phase 5, the mission to extend healthcare access to underserved communities was realised through the introduction of the Etiqa National Mobile Screening Clinic, an initiative fully funded by Etiqa and operated by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM). The mobile clinic provides cancer screening services, including breast, cervical, and prostate screenings, directly to communities across both rural and urban Malaysia. To date, over 50,000 Malaysians have benefitted from these mobile screenings, reflecting Etiqa’s commitment to making early detection and quality healthcare more accessible for all.
