PeKa B40 Uptake Remains Low, ProtectHealth To Revamp Outreach

CYBERJAYA, May 15 (Bernama) -- ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd (ProtectHealth) will revamp its outreach strategy for the Health Care Scheme for the B40 Group (PeKa B40) health screening programme as uptake remains low, with only about 1.9 million people screened out of more than seven million eligible recipients to date.

ProtectHealth chief executive officer Wan Mohd Hazwan Wan Mohd Najib said the agency had identified several possible reasons for the low participation rate, including limited public awareness, the stigma associated with the ‘B40’ label and reluctance among recipients to undergo health screening.

"We are studying the issues affecting lower-income groups and why they are not taking up the programme. It could be because we are not doing enough engagement or because people are reluctant to go for screening," he told reporters at a media briefing here today.

Wan Mohd Hazwan said ProtectHealth plans to focus future campaigns on family well-being and long-term health, noting that promoting ‘free screening’ alone may not be effective in encouraging participation among the target group.

He also acknowledged that some recipients may avoid screening due to fears of discovering underlying illnesses and concerns over subsequent treatment costs.

"There are people who prefer not to know. So now we are not just focusing on screening, but also looking at expanding the programme into some form of outcome-based disease management with general practitioners," he said.

Wan Mohd Hazwan said the expanded programme, which is expected to be introduced later this year, may include support for managing early-stage diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions through collaboration with private clinics.

To improve participation, ProtectHealth is also integrating the programme with the MySejahtera application to enable direct notifications and appointment bookings.

At the same time, the agency has revised payment rates for participating private general practitioners, increasing consultation fees from RM40 to RM50 for first visits and from RM20 to RM40 for follow-up consultations.

Wan Mohd Hazwan said nearly 46 per cent of those screened under the programme were found to have non-communicable diseases (NCDs), underscoring the importance of expanding early detection and intervention efforts.

He also said the programme will be rebranded as ‘Peka Sihat’ later this year following concerns that the ‘B40’ label carries a negative stigma among some recipients.

The PeKa B40 programme was launched on May 31, 2019, as a government healthcare initiative aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of the low-income group, particularly those affected by NCDs.

The programme caters to recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and their spouses aged 40 and above, with automatic enrolment that does not require registration.

Under the programme, eligible recipients are entitled to four key benefits, namely free health screenings, medical device assistance of up to RM20,000, a RM1,000 incentive for completing cancer treatment and transport incentives of up to RM1,000.

To receive these benefits, eligible individuals can check their status through the ProtectHealth website or the MySejahtera application before visiting participating private clinics or registered health clinics for free health screenings and follow-up care.

-- BERNAMA