Addressing iron-deficiency anaemia early is essential to securing Malaysia’s future.Malaysia must urgently move beyond awareness-raising to prioritise the early detection and treatment of childhood iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA), as policymakers, healthcare professionals and researchers call for mandatory non-invasive screening for children aged 1 to 5 years.
The call was made at Arena Generasi Kuat Zat Besi that was organised as part of Dumex Dugro’s fourth installation of the Iron Strong Generation initiative. The event united public- and private-sector stakeholders to tackle a hidden health concern, with one in three Malaysian children at risk of IDA. Because IDA often presents no visible symptoms, experts at the event emphasised that its effects can extend far beyond individual health, with lasting consequences for brain development, learning ability and overall growth.
Muhammad Daniel Kittu, senior researcher at the Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI), explained the broader economic implications of IDA at a panel discussion at the event titled “Iron Strong Kids, Stronger Economy—Protecting Malaysia’s Future Workforce and Productivity.”
He said, “When you scale the issue across our population, productivity losses linked to childhood IDA could be costing Malaysia approximately RM10.8 billion, or 0.6 percent of GDP annually, based on 2022’s numbers applying a conservative assumption. This underscores its implications on the country’s long-term economic competitiveness, but it also suggests a significant generational investment opportunity that Malaysia is missing out on when we do not address IDA.”
Building on that, Yeo Bee Yin, Member of Parliament for Puchong and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development, shared that this figure should inform national budget conversations, and that the government should prioritise healthcare policies to address IDA early. “The way I see it, investment in mandatory non-invasive IDA screening for children is one of the highest-return interventions in public health. Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. They will one day be contributing to our nation’s workforce and development.”
From a medical perspective, Dr Sri Wahyu Taher, Consultant Family Medicine Specialist, emphasised the challenges in detecting the condition. “Around 90 percent of children with IDA show no clear symptoms. By the time signs appear, the deficiency may already be more advanced, and in many cases, the signs are non-specific such as tiredness, poor appetite, slower development and occasional pale skin. This is why early, routine screening is so critical. It is equally important to devise nutritional strategies for our children when curbing IDA.”
Meanwhile, Angie Low, Medical and Nutritional Science Director, Danone Southeast Asia, highlighted the scientific findings on IDA. “Ninety percent of the child’s brain develops by age 5. Evidence shows that IDA can have long-lasting and potentially irreversible effects on brain development if not addressed early. Children without IDA have been shown to score, on average, up to 13 IQ points higher than those with iron deficiency. Our latest findings also show that adequate iron supports about 2.5 times stronger thinking and learning.”
Yee Pek Kuan, Marketing Director, Danone Malaysia and Singapore, said, “Over the past 4 years, our focus has been on closing the gap between awareness and action by investing in science-backed solutions, scaling access to screening, and making IDA easier for parents to act on. What today’s discussion shows is that this cannot be driven by one organisation alone. When industry, policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, media, and parents move in the same direction, that’s when real progress becomes possible. We will keep building that bridge, turning science into accessible solutions and reaching families earlier.”