Building a Preventive Approach to IDA in Malaysia
Professor Dr. Muhammad Yazid bin Jalaludin has played a leading role in advancing early detection and prevention of Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) in Malaysia.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yazid bin Jalaludin has played a leading role in advancing early detection and prevention of IDA in Malaysia. His team led the Iron Strong study which screened around 1,200 children aged 6–36 months across multiple sites and discovered that about one in three children was at risk of IDA, bringing important visibility to a largely hidden but highly relevant public health issue.
He helped demonstrate that early detection does not need to be invasive or complex. Through the use of non-invasive hemoglobin screenings, Prof. Dr. Yazid showed that needle-free approaches are practical, child-friendly, and scalable for routine use. Alongside this, he has contributed to launching the Iron Intake Questionnaire in Southeast Asia to help caregivers better understand nutritional risk early and take proactive steps.
Rather than viewing screening as an endpoint, Prof. Dr. Yazid emphasised it as the beginning of meaningful action. He consistently advocated for clear clinical pathways and responsive health systems that ensure early identification is matched with timely support, protecting children’s brain development and long-term cognitive potential.
Building on these foundations, Prof. Dr. Yazid went on to lead the SEA IDA Advisory Board, where he brought together regional experts to achieve consensus published in 2025. This work recommended early and periodic screening for IDA starting at 9 months, followed by annual screening from ages 1 to 5—helping to shape a more proactive and preventive regional approach. He also contributed to the development of Malaysia’s Ministry of Health Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on iron deficiency, currently in progress, further supporting the translation of evidence into national practice.
His work gained additional momentum through engagement with the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Health, where he helped elevate childhood IDA as a priority policy issue and supported discussions that encourage national action.
Prof. Dr. Yazid speaking to the Fifteenth Parliament Select Committee on 22 January, 2026.
At the heart of Prof. Dr. Yazid’s work is a strong focus on empowerment: helping parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers recognise that good nutrition is one of the most powerful tools in preventing IDA. He has consistently emphasised that adequate iron intake and informed feeding practices can protect children long before supplementation is needed.
Overall, Prof. Dr. Yazid’s work reflects a continued commitment to transforming the approach to IDA from hidden risk to early awareness, from late treatment to early prevention, and from isolated action to coordinated, system-wide impact that supports every child’s healthiest possible start in life.