Health & Living

On 26 May, Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni confirmed that the Cabinet had approved the tabling of the Control of Smoking Product for Public Health Bill 2023 in the current Parliamentary session. On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, we speak to Dr Helmy Haja Mydin, Consultant Respiratory Physician & Special Adviser to the Minister of Health, to find out how this proposed bill will...

“I’m tired, and in pain all the time.”  Words that cannot possibly sum up the debilitating and disabling effects of fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, as well as fatigue. Even the etymology of the word in Latin (fibro meaning “fibrous tissues”, myo meaning “muscles” and algia meaning “pain”) is not able to encompass the widespread physical an...

Hot, hot, and hot. While we’re all struggling with the heat and humidity during this prolonged heatwave, how are people who are more vulnerable, like older adults, coping, especially if they also have existing health issues? On this episode of Healthy Ageing, consultant geriatrician Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin shares how older adults - and their family members - can watch out for the heat affecting them.&...

For the past 23 years, the Association for Children with Special Needs Sibu (ACSNS) has been quietly working at the community level in Sarawak to provide services to children with special needs and their families through training, resource development, advocacy and parent-support programmes. Consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan joins us to catch up with Dr Toh Teck Hock, c...

It’s been 70 years since the discovery of the double helix structure of the DNA back in 1953, by James Watson and Francis Crick. These two and Maurice Wilkins went on to win a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1962 for their discovery. Now, a key part of this story was the accusations that another colleague, Rosalind Franklin, was robbed of her data - and thus acknowledgement - which formed a crucial par...

During the pandemic, the MCO was the hardest on women, especially working mothers. The lockdown saw the lines of their lives collapsing, as they took on the lion’s share of domestic work, including their children’s care and schooling, while juggling work responsibilities at home. Siti Kamariah Ahmad Subki, who was the CEO of Selangor Women's Empowerment Institute at the time, recognised the turmoi...

Occupational therapists have an important role in working with clients to help them achieve independent function, when they have a physical, neurocognitive or mental impairment. Today, we’ll zoom into one aspect of occupational therapy: helping clients to transition to independent living at home. What does this transition process look like, do they need expensive modifications and equipment at hom...

In early May, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 is no longer considered a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC. Following the announcement, the Ministry of Health will conduct a review of Malaysia’s COVID-19 status in mid-June. What does the ending of COVID-19 as a PHEIC mean for Malaysia - what kind of pandemic preparedness protocols will continue to be i...

Malaysia’s health system is in dire need of meaningful and systemic reforms. Despite years of attempts, however, efforts and calls to transform the delivery of healthcare services, management of human resources, and the financing model, have all hit roadblocks due to political and bureaucratic obstacles. Now that our health sector has come through a watershed period, will we finally see national r...

The birth of a child is often one of the most exciting moments for new parents. To find out at that moment that your child has a rare condition can be traumatising, which was the case for Dr Vaishnavi Nadesonmulu when her son was born with a giant congenital melanocytic nevus on his forehead and scalp. She joins us to share more about this rare skin condition, and what it was like for her as a par...

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world, and today, it’s something that we’ve grown more comfortable talking about as a society. But just how much do we understand what depression is? Is it caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain, as has been commonly suggested or is the theory now dead as was reported in a recent research review ? Consultant psychiatrist Dr...

In January, an NFL football player for the (American football team) Buffalo Bills, Damar Hamlin, collapsed suddenly on the field after suffering sudden cardiac arrest. As Hamlin’s collapse occurred immediately after another player had collided into him, there was speculation about whether a massive blow to the chest could result in cardiac arrest. We find out from consultant cardiologist Dr Choo G...

In April, the Ministry of Health announced that it has given the “orphan medicine” status to Koselugo, a prescription drug used in treating children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and the only medical treatment that is available for this rare disorder. With May being Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month, we discuss what the availability of this treatment means for children with neurofibromatosis and t...

Movement is everything in our daily lives. Movement is not just limited to mobility, in terms of getting around, but is a fundamental principle underlying human function and well-being. In this episode of Humans of Healthcare, we speak to an allied health professional whose core business is movement: a physiotherapist. Rebekah Lynn Mohan joins us to share how physiotherapists work in promoting, pr...

7.30am, stuck in traffic. 1pm, no parking available. 6.30pm, bumper-to-bumper traffic. 8pm, still not home yet. That’s the daily commute for most Klang Valley residents who drive to and from work. What if we turned those hours of being stuck on the road into time spent walking, cycling and using public transportation instead? There’s no doubt that it would save time and increase productivity, not...

Running, cycling, and swimming are probably some of the most common workouts that people enjoy. But how many of us have done or thought about doing all three in a triathlon? Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Harjeet Singh is joined by triathlete Dr Alan Tan on this episode of Be Fit Malaysians to discuss what it takes to become an Ironman/woman, and if we all have it in us to do it. Image Credit:...

Pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by cancer patients. It is often debilitating and disruptive to patients’ quality of life. Yet, many patients endure this pain silently, believing that nothing can be done to help them. Dr Loh Ee Chin, Consultant Palliative Physician, Subang Jaya Medical Centre, joins us to clear up misconceptions about cancer pain, and shares how palliative care...

Prof Dr Ina Ismiarti Shariffudin, President of the Malaysian Society of Anaesthesiologists, and Dr Gunalan Palari Arumugam, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, are among a multidisciplinary healthcare team involved in the Global Surgery Initiative, which seeks to provide access to safe and affordable surgical and anaesthesia care in rural areas of Malaysia. Prof Ina and Dr Gunalan join us to share their...

Do you have asthma, and you’re struggling to control the flare-up of symptoms despite using the inhalers and medications as prescribed by your doctor? Are you waking up repeatedly at night, going to the hospital more frequently, and unable to do a lot of normal daily activities? You may have severe asthma, a type of asthma that is under recognised and often not properly treated. We speak to Dr Azz...

From serums to chemical peels to 10-step routines, skincare has never been more popular (or difficult to figure out). But what does it really take to have healthy skin throughout your life, from your youth to your golden years? We speak to consultant dermatologist Dato’ Dr Noor Zalmy Azizan on what good skin health looks like and why it matters especially among older adults, on this episode of Hea...

The Ministry of Health has proposed the formation of a National Autism Council, which will serve as a multidisciplinary platform to coordinate and provide services for individuals with autism. While details about the Council are still scanty, we speak to Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant Developmental Paediatrician; Julian Wong, Chairman of the National Autism Society of Malaysia; and Dr Hasnah T...

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, but this is a condition that is all too often underdiagnosed, often because the most common symptom - severe period pains - are seen as “normal” for most women. But what’s the reality like for women living with endometriosis? On this episode of NCD Chronicles we hear from Natasha Gideon, who’s living with both endometriosis and adenomyosis, abo...

Children who are neurodivergent face more challenges in education, with many learning environments unable to fully support children who learn and behave in different ways across the neurodevelopmental spectrum. And as these children struggle to be included in schools, their mental health can also be affected. In conjunction with Autism Awareness Day in April, we shine a spotlight on 15-year-old Qa...

Do you look forward to the festive season, where you get together with loved ones and friends for traditions and celebrations that only come once a year? Or do you find it a stressful time, as you struggle to manage expectations, while coping with your own mental health issues? In the spirit of compassion this Hari Raya, we look at how festive celebrations can be good for your mental health, and h...

We are back with our monthly Ask A Doctor episode, and this month we’re joined by Dr Sanjay Woodhull, consultant paediatrician, to answer any and all questions about how to care for babies and young children, from physical issues to behavioural ones. Image Credit: Pexels See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.