Thousands Benefit from Free Health Checks in Butterworth, Malaysia

Attracting more than 10,000 attendees for complimentary medical screenings, the One Hope Charity Health Carnival 2025 in Butterworth, Penang, achieved yet another significant marker in proactive healthcare measures.

Hosted by the non-profit organisation One Hope Charity & Welfare, this weekend gathering included 250 stalls offering 30 different kinds of health screenings, tests, and treatments.

Qualified medical practitioners and specialists attended to visitors to the carnival at the Penang International Convention Cultural & Arts Centre (Picca) Convention Centre.

The chairman of One Hope, Datuk Chua Sui Hau, mentioned that numerous visitors flocked during the weekend for various screenings, which included simple procedures like eye and foot exams as well as more comprehensive ones such as assessments of their liver and heart functions.

This year's event is the largest since the health carnival began in 2017, as hospitals and healthcare organizations across different states have joined forces to provide support.

We conducted 4,000 blood tests for cancer indicators and distributed 3,000 pairs of glasses.

He mentioned that 5,000 flu vaccinations were also given out, noting that although organizers expected around 8,000 attendees, the actual attendance exceeded that estimate.

He mentioned that RM2.7 million was expended for organizing the event.

This included about RM850,000 in donations channelled to various hospitals.

One of those who turned up for a health screening was retired Jelutong-based contractor Ng Wai Kuan, aged 71, who relies on a wheelchair following the loss of his leg approximately two decades ago due to an incident.

It often takes a very long time queuing up at public hospitals, and it's quite inconvenient for me to go through multiple tests during separate appointments.

"When I learned about the complimentary health screenings offered here, I jumped on my bicycle and crossed over via the ferry to take a look," he mentioned.

Housewife Maimunah Mat Taib had a massage at a traditional Chinese medicine booth.

“This is the first time I’m trying something like this and after a 15-minute session, I felt such relief,” she said.

Teenagers Ng Zi Yu and Chong Xin Yi, both of whom recovered from scoliosis, were among volunteers who explained to visitors about the spinal condition, and treatments available.

They both received aid from One Hope for their condition and have since recovered.

At the carnival’s opening, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow shared that high numbers of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension was recorded in the state.

The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 indicates that the incidence of diabetes in Penang was 18.4%, higher than the nationwide figure of 15.5%.

In Penang, hypertension was documented at a rate of 31.3%, above the national average of 29.2%. For high cholesterol levels, the statistic stood at 34%, slightly surpassing the nationwide figure of 33.3%.

Chow stated that these shocking statistics should act as a wake-up call for Penang residents to prioritize their well-being.