Health & Living

Cervical cancer is the 2nd most frequent cancer among women aged 15-44. This tells us that the disease hits women when they are young and in the most vibrant years of their lives. Yet, it is also one of the most easily preventable cancers, because we know how to target HPV infection - the main cause of the cancer - and we have the tools to do it. In conjunction with Cervical Cancer Awareness Month...

Scrolling on your social media feed, you come across a sponsored post offering a DNA test that can help you identify your health risks, target your allergies and find your optimal diet. Sounds perfect for the new year? On this episode of Brain Waves, we look at the fine (and not-so-fine) print of these DNA tests, especially when it comes to the claims that these tests will help you improve your he...

2021 was a rollercoaster year. When vaccines began rolling out worldwide, many thought that it meant the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continued to mutate amidst global vaccine inequity and relaxed restrictions, and many countries across the world saw surges in cases and hospitalisations like they’ve not seen in 2020. As countries struggle with lack o...

For couples trying to have a baby, there is nothing more joyful than news of a pregnancy. But for couples who have tried repeatedly for a year or more, it can feel increasingly bleak, as they go through the emotional turmoil month after month. We explore how infertility can impact the mental health of couples, especially for women, with Dr Navdeep Singh Pannu, Medical Director of TMC Fertility. Dr...

We return with our monthly mental health clinic to address your concerns regarding mental, emotional and psychosocial issues. Consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan starts the new year by looking at how to build healthy friendships. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite years of progress, people living with HIV in Malaysia continue to be stigmatised by society, making it difficult for many to continue receiving medical and social support to lead a quality life. But many grassroots organisations are out there to provide that support and to change mindsets one at a time, and one of those organisations is Komuniti Cakna Terengganu. The co-founder of KCT, Dr...

When we say “arthritis”, the image of an older person comes to mind. But kids also live with arthritis, and it is the leading cause of acquired disability in children. Childhood or juvenile arthritis, which is classified as a group of arthritis conditions, is still poorly recognised and children face numerous challenges when it comes to getting a proper diagnosis and accessing specialist care. We...

COVID-19 ravaged the country in 2021, but the tide eventually turned when the effects of the nationwide vaccination programme kicked in. This has been no mean feat, as it has included reaching those in rural communities, as well as those who are elderly, less mobile and even bedridden. In the final episode of this short series where we reflect on 2021, we’re speaking to two medical NGOs that were...

One of the most enduring images of 2021 was the sight of thousands of people crowding the COVID-19 Assessment Centres during the pandemic’s third wave in July. With Ministry of Health’s resources stretched to the limit, NGOs like the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia’s Response and Relief Team (Imaret) sprang into action to deploy their volunteers on the ground. In the final episode of this...

In light of the floods that devastated states across the Peninsula over the weekend, we look at how to provide psychological first aid after a disaster, and how to ensure people living with chronic diseases continue to get their supply of medications after the flood. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The unprecedented floods that hit many states in Peninsula Malaysia over the weekend have raised concerns about health risks faced by people who have been affected and those at flood relief centres. Professor Dr Nazimah Idris, Medical Director, IMU Healthcare & EXCO, Mercy Malaysia, takes us through the possible health concerns, and how to prevent diseases and infections from spreading. For in...

Arguably, parents and children faced the biggest challenges in the second year of the pandemic, where we saw continued school closures, a spike in the number of children getting COVID-19, and the introduction of vaccination for teenagers. How have children and parents been coping, and how did the pandemic control strategies affect them? In the third episode of this short series where we reflect on...

If you own a medical insurance policy, you probably dread receiving that letter every few years, informing you that your premiums are increasing. To understand the complex factors driving the increase of these premiums, we look at inflation of medical costs, the healthcare financing landscape in Malaysia, and what can be done to ensure medical insurance remains affordable. Mark O’Dell, CEO of Life...

This month’s open clinic segment features audiologist Ngiow Jen Sen to answer all your questions about hearing and its related problems. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These days, everyone struggles to get enough sleep, including young children and teenagers. But at the crucial stages of early adolescence, how does the lack of sleep impact preteens’ brain development? Neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar weighs in. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People who have diseases or treatments that suppress their immune system have been living in fear during this pandemic. Not only are they more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection, they also do not have the same level of protection that other vaccinated people have. We speak to Prof Dr Sargunan Sockalingam, Head of Rheumatology at University Malaya Medical Centre, to understand how we can bette...

Nobody had it tougher during this pandemic than healthcare workers, especially this past year, which saw the country battling a massive wave of infections. But the frontliners have been steadfast in their duties, even in the face of enormous hardship. In the second episode of this short series where we reflect on 2021, Dr Kuldip Kaur, Director of Hospital Sg Buloh, joins us to look at the year tha...

It was recently reported that a Malaysian gynaecologist had created the “world’s first unisex condom”, which would make what is traditionally a male contraception also usable for women. But what does this tell us about who bears greater responsibility for family planning? Why should reproductive health be women and men’s shared responsibility? Consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist Dr Premith...

Ageing of the eye is normal for older adults, but this doesn’t mean that vision loss and blindness is a normal part of ageing. You can save your sight if you check your vision regularly to detect and treat common age-related eye diseases. Dr V. Ulagantheran Viswanathan, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreo Retinal Surgeon from Subang Jaya Medical Centre explains the signs, symptoms and screening...

Based on recent data updated on COVIDNow, we are seeing more fully vaccinated people than unvaccinated people dying from COVID-19 in the daily reported deaths due to the disease. But those numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal, epidemiologist from Universiti Malaya joins us to put these numbers into context and discuss whether it’s realistic for us to expect zero deaths as...

Ageing of the eye is normal for older adults, but this doesn’t mean that vision loss and blindness is a normal part of ageing. You can save your sight if you check your vision regularly to detect and treat common age-related eye diseases. Dr V. Ulagantheran Viswanathan, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreo Retinal Surgeon from Subang Jaya Medical Centre explains the signs, symptoms and scre...

The issue of alcohol has hit the headlines in Malaysia in recent weeks, but not for reasons related to safety or health. Controversies over names and licensing aside, the bigger problem related to alcohol intake is excessive use and addiction, which leads to health problems and societal issues. Assoc Prof Dr Anne Yee, Clinical Addiction Psychiatrist, University Malaya Medical Centre, joins Azrul M...

Recently, anthropologists studying the remains of a female Australopithecus , nicknamed Issa, discovered that the early hominin had skeletal structures suggesting that she walked upright like a human, but also climbed like an ape. This near-complete reconstruction of Issa’s lower back provides more clues about how early humans evolved to stand upright, but also forms the basis of why modern...

2021 was a far cry from the “return to normal” that some of us expected at the end of last year. Instead, movement restrictions were reimposed and we continued to stay at home in a bid to keep the pandemic under control. As we look forward to another new year, we also want to reflect on 2021, and in the first episode of this short series, HR consultant Deepa George and consultant clinical psycholo...

The Omicron variant, the latest variant of concern listed by the World Health Organisation has the whole world in a panic, after being described as potentially more contagious than Delta. But as much of the world takes precautions and imposes a travel ban against South Africa and its neighbours, is South Africa being punished for its genomic surveillance and transparency? Prof Tikki Pangestu, Visi...