Overview

• Ischaemic heart diseases remained as the principal causes of death in 2024, accounting for 17,421 deaths or 13.0 per cent of the medically certified deaths. There were 198,992 deaths recorded in 2024 of which 133,844 (67.3%) were medically certified deaths and 65,148 (32.7%) were not medically certified deaths. Number of medically certified deaths increased from 60.7 per cent (119,652 deaths) to 67.3 per cent (133,844 deaths) in 2024.
• There were 12,112 male deaths (15.3%) was caused by Ischaemic heart diseases, while Pneumonia was the principal causes of deaths for females at 6,776 (12.4%). Ischaemic heart diseases also was the principal causes of death for Malay and Indians which recorded 10,291 deaths (13.9%) and 2,161 deaths (17.6%) respectively, in 2024. Meanwhile, Chinese and Other Bumiputera recorded Pneumonia as the principal causes of death at 4,231 deaths (12.7%) and 1,016 deaths (9.7%), respectively.
• In comparison, Pneumonia was the second highest causes of death with 15,332 deaths or 11.5 per cent followed by Diabetes mellitus (6,929 deaths; 5.2%) and Transport accidents (4,428 deaths; 3.3%). Statistics showed that deaths caused by Neoplasms (Cancer) have increased since 2001 from 5,231 deaths to 19,180 deaths in 2024. Malignant Neoplasms of digestive organs recorded the highest deaths among other cancers at 5,825 deaths, followed by Malignant neoplasms of middle ear, respiratory or intrathoracic organs (2,987 deaths) and Malignant neoplasms of breast (2,173 deaths).
• The principal causes of death for population aged 60 years and over and 0-14 years was Pneumonia which recorded 11,989 deaths (13.9%) and 244 deaths (5.6%). Other than that, Transport accidents was the principal causes of death for population aged 15-40 years which recorded 2,547 deaths (20.0%), while population aged 41-59 years recorded Ischaemic heart diseases at 17.6 per cent (5,380 deaths).
• 13 states recorded Ischaemic heart diseases as principal causes of death while three other states namely Perak, Sabah and Sarawak recorded Pneumonia as the principal causes of death. Selangor recorded the highest deaths of Ischaemic heart diseases at 3,038 deaths followed by Johor (2,620 deaths) and Kedah (2,349 deaths).
• Ischaemic heart diseases was the principal causes of death in 79 administrative districts (50.6%) from 156 administrative districts. Meanwhile, Pneumonia was the principal causes of death in 67 other administrative districts (42.9%). On the other hand, five more districts recorded Diabetes mellitus as the principal causes of death, while Kidney failure and Heart failure was recorded in two districts, respectively. Metabolic disorders recorded as the principal causes of death in one district.

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