People over 65 years are encouraged to get a free checkup at cooperating clinics before Sept. 30 if they have not done so already this year, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday.
Starting from yesterday, older people in the city who have not undergone the Ministry of Health and Welfare-funded checkup are eligible for the city government-funded checkup and are encouraged to make an appointment with one of the 103 cooperating clinics with their ID and National Health Insurance cards.
Cancer ranked No. 1 on the department’s list of the top 10 leading causes of death in the city last year, accounting for 28.9 percent of the total.
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension were all in the top 10.
Chronic diseases often have subtle symptoms and can easily lead to complications, while severe cases can be fatal or seriously affect the person’s quality of life, department Commissioner Huang Shier-chieg (黃世傑) said.
Getting regular checkups is the best way to detect chronic diseases, he said, adding that people should go, even if they have not detected any serious symptoms.
People who plan to schedule a free checkup are advised to contact clinics to better understand appointment schedules and additional fees, as the clinics are allowed to charge a registration fee, the department said.
People should find a trusted family physician at a clinic near their home and get regular checkups with the same physician, so that the doctor will have a more comprehensive understanding of the patients’ family medical history and can refer them to hospitals and clinics if needed, Physician and Taipei Medical Association Primary Care Committee convener Chang Meng-yuan (張孟源) said.
The department has established an adult disease prevention Web site (ikh.tw/tahe/) where people in the city can look up cooperating clinics and book appointments.
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