Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	HOTEL SUNWAY LAGOON RESOR, 
			PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	13/08/97 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	MAJLIS MAKAN MALAM SEMPENA 
			PELANCARAN YAYASAN HEPAR MALAYSIA 



   1.    Terlebih  dahulu  saya ucapkan  terima  kasih  kepada
  pihak  Penganjur  kerana menjemput saya  untuk  melancarkan
  Yayasan Hepar Malaysia pada malam ini.
  
  2.    Yayasan  Hepar Malaysia adalah salah  sebuah  Yayasan
  yang    terbuka   kepada   rakyat   Malaysia   yang   ingin
  menyumbangkan  tenaga  dan  masa  untuk  membantu  mengawal
  penyakit  hepar dan membantu mereka yang mengidap  penyakit
  tersebut.
  
  3.    Pada  hari  ini  terdapat  kekurangan  kemahiran  dan
  kemudahan  untuk menangani penyakit hepar  di  negara  ini,
  khususnya     dalam    menjalankan    pemindahan     hepar.
  Alhamdullilah  sekarang  telah ada usaha  untuk  menubuhkan
  Yayasan  ini  supaya  pelbagai program dan  strategi  dapat
  dijalankan untuk membolehkan negara ini menawarkan  rawatan
  yang  sebaik-baiknya  dalam  bidang  hepatobiliari  selaras
  dengan  aspirasi  negara untuk menjadi pusat  kecemerlangan
  di rantau ini.
  
  4.    Rakyat Malaysia seperti rakyat negara lain juga tidak
  terhindar  daripada  serangan  penyakit-penyakit  sekiranya
  cara  hidup mereka kurang baik atau mereka tidak  menjalani
  pemeriksaan  perubatan dari semasa ke semasa. Ada  beberapa
  sebab  tumpuan diberi kepada penyakit ini. Antaranya  ialah
  bagi  memastikan  rakyat kita tidak diserang  oleh  sejenis
  penyakit  yang  memang  boleh  dibendung.  Keduanya   ialah
  kerana  inilah salah satu cara yang baik bagi kita mengawal
  komplikasi-komplikasi  bahaya seperti  sirosis  dan  kanser
  hepar.
  
  5.    The  liver is a very interesting organ.   It  is  the
  largest organ in the body and is essential for life. It  is
  in  essence  a  chemical  factory  with  over  100  complex
  functions.   It  is  second  only  to  our  brain  in   its
  complexity  and  is  vital  for  life.   The  liver  fights
  infection,  makes essential chemicals and filters  poisons.
  The  adult  liver  is as big as a rugby  ball  and  has  an
  amazing  capacity to regenerate itself.  Unlike people,  it
  does   not  complain  very  much  and  can  still  function
  normally  with half its size provided of course  that  half
  is  normal.   We need therefore to take care of our  liver.
  If  we  do  not,  this  non-complaining,  complex  chemical
  factory  will break down and soon enough we too will  break
  down  and  when  that happens we have to  look  for  a  new
  liver, if there is one.
  
  6.    Liver disease can affect all ages.  Thousands  suffer
  and   die   each  year  from  hepatitis,  liver   cirrhosis
  (scarring  of  the liver), and liver cancer.  Hepatitis,  a
  form  of  liver  disease, is sometimes  referred  to  as  a
  silent  killer much like high blood pressure as people  who
  suffer from the disease often are not aware that they  have
  the  disease  until  too late.  We can,  however,  overcome
  this   silent  killer  with  early  diagnosis  and   better
  treatment.
  
  7.    Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, is a problem
  in  Malaysia although the overall incidence appears  to  be
  decreasing.   The total number of hepatitis cases  reported
  in  Government hospitals has declined from 2,450 in 1992 to
  1,581  in  1996.   Three  types  of  hepatitis  have   been
  reported  in this country.  They are hepatitis A, hepatitis
  B  and  hepatitis  C.  There are other types  of  hepatitis
  called hepatitis D, hepatitis E and hepatitis G.  I am  not
  sure  whether we will see the emergence of hepatitis  M  by
  the year 2020.
  
  8.     The  estimated  annual  incidence  of  hepatitis   A
  worldwide   is  about  1.5  million.   The  true  incidence
  however  may  be  3-10  times greater.   In  Malaysia,  the
  reported  incidence of hepatitis A has decreased  over  the
  years  with  improvement in sanitation,  water  supply  and
  personal hygiene.
  
  9.    Hepatitis A is, I am told, contracted by eating  food
  or  drinking  water  which has been contaminated  with  the
  hepatitis   A  virus.   In  the  wake  of  the  forthcoming
  Commonwealth  Games  next year,  we  must  continue  to  be
  vigilant  and  ensure  that  no  athlete  or  visitors   to
  Malaysia comes down with this disease from now as  it  will
  cast  a poor image of health standards in this country.   I
  would  like  therefore to remind all Malaysians  especially
  food  handlers  to  be absolutely clean when  they  prepare
  food.   The rest of us can help in this crusade by avoiding
  raw  or  inadequately  cooked  shellfish,  raw  salads  and
  vegetables,  untreated  drinking  water,  ice   cubes   and
  unpasteurised  milk and by maintaining a high  standard  of
  personal hygiene.
  
  10.   There  is  an  estimated  50  million  new  cases  of
  hepatitis  B annually with 1.5 million deaths  due  to  its
  complications  which include cirrhosis  and  liver  cancer.
  Like  hepatitis A, the incidence of hepatitis B in Malaysia
  has also declined over the years.
  
  11.   Primary  liver cancer is one of the  top  10  cancers
  reported  among  Malaysian males in  Malaysia.   The  major
  risk  factor is cirrhosis from any cause.  Hepatitis  B  is
  the most important cause in this region.
  
  12.   Liver  cancer  can be cured if discovered  early  i.e
  when  the  tumour  is small and the rest of  the  liver  is
  normal.   Unfortunately up to 80 percent of  patients  with
  liver  cancer  in  Malaysia present too late  for  curative
  treatment mainly because it is difficult to detect  in  the
  early stages as the initial symptoms are usually vague.
  
  13.   These are some of the reasons why the Malaysian Liver
  Foundation is established.  By increasing public  awareness
  on  the  early  symptoms of the disease and the  diagnostic
  facilities  and  treatment  available,  the  Foundation  is
  hopeful  that  the  disease can be curbed.   By  preventing
  hepatitis  B  and  C,  one  can expect  a  decline  in  the
  incidence of liver cancer.
  
  14.   There  are  no  special machines  to  take  over  the
  functions  of  the  liver.    If  it  fails  completely  or
  becomes  seriously damaged, the only solution  is  a  liver
  transplant.   Liver  transplantation is the  only  solution
  for  end-stage liver disease.  In Malaysia,  there  are  at
  least  2,000  new  cases of end-stage  liver  disease  each
  year.    Of  these,  10  per  cent  will  require  a  liver
  transplant.  For organ transplantation to succeed, we  need
  public co-operation and education.  Organ donation in  this
  country  is rather slow.  I hope the Liver Foundation  will
  join  forces with the Ministry of Health and other relevant
  organisations  to embark on an active public  education  on
  organ donation nationwide.
  
  15.   I  am  encouraged  by  the enthusiasm  shown  by  the
  Trustees  and  the Executive Committee and members  of  the
  Malaysian  Liver  Foundation.   By  working  closely   with
  people  suffering  from liver disease, their  families  and
  friends,  health  professionals, medical practitioners  and
  researchers,  the foundation will succeed in enhancing  the
  standards  of care, garnering public support and  improving
  the quality of treatment for hepatobiliary diseases.
  
  16.   To make a greater impact in this region, we also need
  to  invest in basic and clinical research.  Research offers
  hope  for  the  future and the possibility  of  prevention,
  better treatment and cure of liver disease.
  
  17.   I  urge  all  Malaysians to continue  supporting  the
  Malaysian  Liver Foundation in its efforts  to  combat  the
  disease and promote excellence in diagnosis and treatment.
  
  18.   Saya  ucapkan terima kasih sekali lagi  kepada  pihak
  Penganjur  kerana  menjemput saya  dan  isteri  saya  untuk
  hadir  di  Majlis  pada malam ini.  Saya  harap  kita  akan
  berusaha  dengan  gigih untuk memberi rawatan  yang  sebaik
  mungkin  kepada  rakyat  kita dan juga  sesiapa  sahaja  di
  rantau  ini  yang  memerlukan  rawatan  yang  terkini   dan
  canggih daripada kita.
  
  19.   Saya harap kita dapat menyediakan semua program  yang
  berkaitan  dan  dapat membuat persiapan ke arah  menawarkan
  kemudahan-kemudahan  pemindahan hepar  kepada  rakyat  kita
  supaya  mereka tidak perlu lagi pergi ke luar negeri  untuk
  mendapat rawatan ini.
  
  20.   Malaysia boleh dan Malaysia akan terus berjaya  dalam
  apa  jua  bidang  yang  diceburi  rakyatnya,  Insya  Allah.
  Marilah kita bersama-sama menuju ke alaf berikutnya  dengan
  semangat  yang kuat, badan yang teguh, hati yang tabah  dan
  hepar yang sihat.
  
  21.    Dengan   ini  saya  dengan  sukacitanya   merasmikan
  Pelancaran Yayasan Hepar Malaysia.