Health & Living

Tapeworms and flatworms, lice and bedbugs, giardia and malaria - these are just some of the common parasites that cause disease among humans, and symptoms that range from mildly irritating to life-threatening. Parasitologist Dr Vinoth Kumarasamy joins Dr George Lee to dive into the world of parasites, how they make their way into the human body, and what we can do to protect ourselves. Image Credi...

Everybody’s buying their mother flowers and chocolates to celebrate Mother’s Day this month, but are we stopping to ask Mum, “How are you doing?” Licensed counsellor Heeran Kaur steps into Counsellor’s Corner to answer questions on everything related to maternal mental health, including parenting stress, postpartum depression, and the burden of care work. Image credit: 123rf See omnystudio.com/lis...

To commemorate World Malaria Day, which was observed on 25 April, Prof Dr Balbir Singh and Dr Timothy William discuss how zoonotic malaria has become an emerging threat in Malaysia, how to think outside the box to eliminate this form of transmission, and the significance of Malaysia hosting the International Congress for Tropical Medicine & Malaria (ICTMM 2024) from 16-23 September 2024. See o...

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in Malaysia among men and women, and is predominantly diagnosed in the late stages. On this episode of NCD Chronicles , we hear two very different stories of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer: Choo Mei Sze, who celebrates her 10th-year cancer-versary this year, and Norazri, who is still undergoing treatment. Contact National Cancer Society of...

Malaysia’s healthcare system, skilled workforce, and diverse population presents an attractive proposition for global pharmaceutical companies looking to conduct multicentre clinical trials. In 2023, Malaysia ranked second in the Southeast Asian region in terms of the number of global industry-sponsored studies. How do we maintain our potential as a regional hub for clinical trials, especially mov...

Consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan joins us on her monthly show to commemorate World Autism Awareness Day, in a conversation with Nik Didi, a parent to two autistic girls. We explore the joys and challenges of parenting neurodivergent children, and find out more about the support that parents need. Image credit: Nik Didi See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

For a long time, dengue fever is often diagnosed among populations living in tropical and subtropical climates because that is the environment where the Aedes mosquitoes - the vector of the virus - thrives in. But as climate change causes temperatures the rise, the mosquitoes are now able to live and thrive in more temperate countries, exposing more people to the virus. Will this be the wake-up ca...

If you have diabetes, don’t take your vision lightly. Diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, if you don’t control your blood glucose levels well. In fact, one of the major diabetic eye diseases, diabetic retinopathy, is a leading cause of blindness in Malaysia. But is loss of vision inevitable if you have diabetes? Dr V. Gayatri Devi, Ophthalmologist and Eye Surgeon (and Medical Retina sub-special...

When you hear about Kiwanis Malaysia, the first (or only) thing you may think about is their work to help children with Down Syndrome. The Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation has been running for 34 years, and is one of the most well-known initiatives by the service club. District Governor Michael Chiew and District Secretary Dato’ Stewart LaBrooy join us to tell us more about how Kiwanis Malaysia su...

Each year we celebrate a number of disability days, such as World Autism Awareness Day in April, International Day of Persons with Disabilities in December, and many more. These are commemorative days that are aimed at increasing the visibility of people with disabilities and their rights, and are often celebrated along with statements and promises to improve support and services for people with d...

Diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke - get three or more, for the price of one. People with diabetes have a higher risk of other cardiorenal metabolic diseases, and this is cause for alarm, considering the high prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia. What is the link among these diseases, and how do we disrupt this deadly cluster? Dr Feisul Mustapha, Director of the Perak S...

More than 55 million people live with dementia globally, and dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people. Yet, there remains a stigma towards dementia, affecting their ability to still lead dignified lives. How can we break past that stigma to ensure that care partners are able to support both the person living with dementia and their care partner? Do we nee...

When was the last time you slept so well that you felt entirely refreshed and ready for the day ahead? How often do you find yourself waking up on the wrong side of the bed? Sleep and mental health are closely interlinked: poor sleep can negatively impact your mental health while mental health disorders can also affect your sleep. On this episode of Mind Matters, consultant psychiatrist Dr Ravivar...

In our open clinic segment, consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Somasundaram Sathappan joins us to answer all your questions on face lifts, Botox injections, liposuctions and more. Dr Somasundaram also addresses important questions, like how do you know if you need these procedures, and who is the right expert to see? Image credit: 123rf See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

When we see a doctor, we share a story, starting with our description of the symptoms to our doctor (“this is the problem I’ve been having”), followed by the doctor’s delivery of a diagnosis (“this is what you have”), and prescription of therapy (“this is what you need to do”). However, patient care doesn’t depend on this linear narrative alone - doctors seek to explore a deeper understanding of t...

As the name suggests, sports medicine physicians often work with professional and amateur athletes to ensure that they are always able to play at their level best. But what exactly do sports medicine physicians do? Do they only work with athletes? And does being a sports medicine physician mean you have to be extremely fit and athletic as well? On this episode of Humans of Healthcare, we speak to...

In January, Elmo tweeted: “Just checking in - how’s everybody doing?” What resulted was the Internet letting loose, with responses ranging from “I’m sad” to expressions of self-harm and existential dread. Yet, Malaysia was ranked the 5th happiest country in the world in the 2023 Mental State of the World Report. On Counsellor’s Corner, licensed counsellor Rozy Khalid joins us to ask you how you’re...

Around the world, women and girls make up half of the people living with HIV. But in Malaysia, women make up a much smaller proportion of the people living with HIV, as the ratio stands at 1 female to every 7.5 males diagnosed with HIV. What does this mean for women living with HIV in Malaysia? How does this affect policies targeted at people living with HIV, especially women? We speak to infectio...

There is increasing recognition of neurodivergence in our society, and greater demand for interventions to support children with special needs, such as children with autism. Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is commonly practised in interventions for children with autism, but is also a controversial issue in the autism community. Dr Neil Martin, Director of International Development, Behavior Analy...

Picture this: you’ve had an acute injury from a sport - say playing football or badminton - who should you see to help you along your recovery journey? What speeds up that process without compromising on your ability to return to play? Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Harjeet Singh joins us to walk you through questions about what to do and who to see.  Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystu...

On this episode of Heart of Medicine, virologist Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr Lam Sai Kit and infectious diseases consultant Dr Timothy Williams join consultant cardiologist Dr Kannan Pasamanickam, to explore the impact of COVID-19 infection on cardiovascular health. They also debunk myths about the COVID-19 vaccine and the heart, and discuss why the false messaging around COVID-19 vaccination cont...

It’s been more than 100 years since the BCG vaccine was first introduced as a significant tool in our fight against tuberculosis. While the BCG vaccine is still widely rolled out today, it is largely only effective among infants and young children, leaving adolescents and adults still vulnerable to developing TB. Worldwide, TB is one of the deadliest infectious diseases and leaves millions sufferi...

Feeling a bit more brain fog than usual? Getting forgetful, but chalking it up to stress and fatigue? If you're a woman in your 40s, there could be another reason - perimenopause. Hormone changes can have an effect on the brain, but are these effects permanent over the longer term? We talk about whether menopause brain is real, even in the years preceding, and whether dementia is a risk that perim...

The idea of undergoing a colonoscopy can be daunting, but it is one of the tools we have for picking up colorectal cancer early, as the disease often has no symptoms in the early stages. So how often should you have a colonoscopy? How do you know if you need one? And is that the only screening option for colorectal cancer? Find out from Dato’ Dr Meheshinder Singh, consultant colorectal surgeon fro...

How do you go from being an active 44-year-old, to suddenly discovering you have end-stage kidney disease? On this episode of NCD Chronicles , we get a glimpse into Ezi’s life with chronic kidney disease, and how home-based peritoneal dialysis has given him the freedom to continue living a normal life. Consultant nephrologist Dr Azrini Binti Abdul Aziz weighs in to highlight innovations in periton...