Health & Living

Health is wealth. But we also know that health is an investment - we need to ensure we have the resources to afford more healthcare services because we’re all living longer and becoming more health-savvy. During this panel at BFM's Health & Living Live 2022, we discuss what policy reforms and systemic changes need to take place, to ensure a sustainable and affordable healthcare system for ever...

As we look towards COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease, many people are eagerly hoping to return to normalcy. But for frontline workers, the past two years have exacted a heavy toll and it is not as easy for them to move on. Ellisha Othman, clinical psychologist and Managing Director of Thrive Well, and Dr Abdul Rahman bin Ahmad Badayai, EXCO and advisor on Mental Health & Psychological Suppo...

In November 2020, the Ministry of Health Malaysia introduced the 6-in-1 vaccine for infants under the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). This hexavalent vaccine covers diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Hepatitis B. We get an update from Dr Ranjini Ambigapathy, member of the Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists' Association, on how well the vaccine has w...

Have you ever recalled feeling irritable and grumpy after not having eaten for a while? Most of us are familiar with the term “hangry” and perhaps even with experiencing it as well. But is being “hangry” a real thing or simply an excuse for bad behaviour? A recent study suggests that it is real, and we’ll find out more about it with Prof Viren Swami, a social psychologist from Anglia Ruskin Univer...

COVID-19 cases are creeping up again, amid warnings from the Ministry of Health about the BA.4 and 5 sub-variants that are becoming dominant in many other countries. We catch up with Assoc Prof Dr Sharifah Faridah Syed Omar, Infectious Disease Physician, University Malaya Medical Centre, to find out whether we need to be on our guard against another COVID-19 wave. Image credit: Shutterstock See om...

There is good news when it comes to stroke - deaths due to stroke have reduced over the years, due to the introduction of stroke units in hospitals, and better control of stroke risk factors among patients. But stroke remains the third leading cause of death in the country. Our biggest challenge is still the limited availability of more major hospitals that have a dedicated stroke unit, as well as...

Stress. Anxiety. Burnout. Many of us have been experiencing these - or worse - throughout the pandemic. In fact, it’s been reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a parallel mental health pandemic, which could have consequences for years to come. During the mental health panel at BFM's Health & Living Live 2022, we discussed why mental health issues cannot be taken lightly, and what we...

Like any other medical procedures, getting dental treatments from an unlicensed or fake dental practitioner can pose a significant risk to your health. And yet, it’s not uncommon for people to actively seek out these services - whether it’s getting braces or dentures, or even teeth whitening - because they are cheaper. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Col Dr Shalene Kereshanan, pres...

Are you always anxious about being late? Or do you constantly feel that you’re wasting your time, when you should be doing something more productive? Dr Alex Lickerman writes on Psychology Today about his time anxiety: “Will I feel, when it comes my time to die, that I spent too much of my time frivolously?” We explore what the term ‘time anxiety’ means, how it may affect people in different ways,...

As you age, your motor skills can slow down, making it difficult for you to complete simple daily tasks or participate in your favourite hobbies. This is where occupational therapy comes in, to help older adults maintain their level of activity and lifestyle, and thus their sense of independence. Here to discuss the role of occupational therapy in an ageing population, and how we can better includ...

The stories of the “long haulers” keep coming in - people who are living with long-term problems following their COVID-19 infection. The experts on this panel shared the latest updates on the impact of long COVID, as well as treatment and rehabilitation, particularly when it comes to the lungs, brain, and nervous system. Joining them, a long-hauler who spoke about the challenges in getting her sym...

In our monthly open clinic segment, Dr Wilson Wong, Vitreoretinal Surgeon & Consultant Ophthalmologist, joins us to answer questions about the eyes and vision-related problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister of Women, Family & Community Development Rina Harun recently said that LPPKN will expand men's wellness services, if there is good response to a pilot project at Dungun Klinik Nur Sejahtera, which will be providing specialised services for men in the community. This project will include psychosocial assistance for men, following findings that more than 20,000 men sought counselling fr...

In July, the Ministry of Health plans to launch a national health screening initiative to detect non-communicable diseases, especially after the delays caused by the pandemic. We explore what is the Malaysian attitude towards health screening, and what we need to get things back on track: do we need more screening programmes, or simply a different approach to motivate people? Dr Sri Wahyu Taher, P...

We don’t plan to fall ill, to need to go to a hospital, or to have to live with a chronic health condition. But if - or when - it happens, how many Malaysians have the knowledge to know when and where to seek healthcare, and how to navigate our healthcare system? Are we sufficiently equipped and informed to make decisions for our health, considering how unhealthy we are as a nation? To wrap up our...

‘ Because Feelings Matter ’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental health issues. In conjunction with Men's Mental Health Awareness Month and Father's Day in June, entrepreneur Chris Tock shares his mental and emotional struggles during the pandemic, as business troubles, financial problems and the challenges of being a new father collided head-on. A self-professed New...

Health workers are vital to the functioning of a healthcare system, and almost 70% of them are women. But as with any other workforce, female health workers face greater barriers to their equal participation in the health workforce, and thus the healthcare system itself. We speak to Dr Sagri Singh, Chief of Gender and Health at the United Nations University International Institute for Global Healt...

We often value the qualifications and experiences of a healthcare professional, but beyond that we also want a doctor, dentist, or any healthcare professional to treat and know us as an individual, rather than just another set of symptoms. But what does empathy look like in healthcare and can we teach empathy to future healthcare professionals? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Dr Ay...

Are video games bad for children’s development, intelligence and social skills? Unsurprisingly, this has been an ongoing debate for years. A recent study investigated the effect of screen time on children’s intelligence – the ability to learn effectively, think rationally, understand complex ideas, and adapt to new situations. We get consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan to...

You could lose your hearing at any age - you may be born with a condition that causes hearing loss, or you may have an infection, injury or problem that causes your hearing to deteriorate over time. You may even lose your hearing significantly to the point that it affects your ability to communicate, study or work. Electronic engineer Mohd Uzair Mohd Rom shares his long and rocky journey strugglin...

Symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, and shortness of breath could be very easily brushed off and ignored, especially among older people. But these could be warning signs of aortic stenosis, a problem affecting the valve in the heart’s aorta. We get an update about the condition from Datuk Dr Shaiful Azmi Yahaya, Senior Consultant Cardiologist from Institut Jantung Negara, and find out why it’s im...

If you had chickenpox before, the varicella zoster virus that causes it remains inactive in your body, and could potentially reactivate again to cause a different disease: shingles. Shingles can be extremely painful, and the risk of complications is even higher for older adults. Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by consultant geriatrician Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin to discuss pain management f...

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition among women that remains underdiagnosed. Also commonly referred to as PCOS, it affects women’s hormone levels, thus affecting their menstrual cycle, fertility, and even physical appearance. To find out more about PCOS and how we can improve diagnosis of this condition, we speak to Dr Hoo Mei Lin, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist as well as...

Sending older family members to residential aged care facilities is still stigmatised  in today’s society, and may not always be the best solution for caring for older family members. With the rise of part-time home care service providers, how does having that option benefit not just family members but older adults themselves? Consultant geriatrician Dr Khor Hui Min from University Malaya Med...

We’re shocked whenever we hear statistics of teenage pregnancies in Malaysia (estimated 18,000 every year), or when we read yet another report of a newborn baby being abandoned. However, this moral outrage is misplaced if we do not address why girls and women find themselves facing unintended pregnancies, and invest resources into the public health aspects, including through family planning care,...