KOTA BARU: A total of 769 out of 2,688 3-year-olds screened in Kelantan were found to have health issues, including being underweight and stunted.
Kelantan Health Department director Dr Kasuadi Hussin said screenings conducted across 10 districts found that 9.8 per cent of the children were underweight, 10.9 per cent were stunted, 0.3 per cent were not fully immunised and 9.6 per cent had not received exclusive breastfeeding.
"The screening programme aims to identify and map the actual extent of incomplete immunisation and stunting among 3-year-olds in Kelantan, enabling targeted clinical and community interventions," he told reporters after launching the 2026 state-level Wellness Month carnival and Children's Health Day celebration here today.
Dr Kasuadi said being underweight could result from several factors, including insufficient food intake, calorie deficiency and unhealthy dietary habits, such as excessive consumption of junk food.
He said stunting could be influenced by genetics, nutrition and a family's socioeconomic background, particularly among the Orang Asli community.
"That is why we must identify the root causes so that appropriate interventions can be provided," he said, adding that stunting could be managed through growth monitoring and a balanced diet.
He urged parents to take their children for regular health check-ups at nearby clinics to ensure health issues were detected and treated early.
He said check-ups should continue until children were six or seven years old, before they entered primary school.
"Children's health problems can be detected early through screenings. The earlier we detect them, the sooner action can be taken," he said.
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