Health & Living

Malaysia’s most recent national health survey found that almost half a million children in the country were found to have mental health problems. What are the underlying issues leading to the high prevalence of mental health problems among children, and how has COVID-19 exacerbated this hidden epidemic? We speak to Assoc Prof Dr Amer Siddiq bin Amer Nordin, Consultant Psychiatrist, Universit...

Taking your medications can feel like a chore, especially if you're on long-term prescriptions for chronic diseases. But missing your medication could have serious repercussions on your health, what more during a pandemic. We’re going to discuss the importance of medication compliance, and also take a look at how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted access to medications. Image Source: Wallpap...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. It was recently reported that the United States bought almost all available supplies of the antiviral drug remdesivir for the next three months. Remdesivir has been said to show some improvements in COVID-19 patients, but the US’s move means that there is practically no supplies lef...

With increased access to the internet and smartphones, social media has become a normal part of everyday life for children and teenagers of this generation. But as parents, you can’t help but worry that what they see and how they interact on these platforms could have a negative impact on their mental well-being. We speak to Dr Tee Bee Chin , consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist from...

There is another epidemic hiding behind the COVID-19 pandemic – a widespread mental health crisis. The economic uncertainties, social isolation and anxieties wrought by the outbreak has led to a spike in mental health problems, and increased the risk of suicide. Consultant psychologist Evelyn Soong is here to explain how the pandemic could affect our mental health, while Victor Tan from Befr...

Kidney disease has become so commonplace in Malaysia that nobody bats an eyelid at the mention of the word ‘dialysis’. However, the Ministry of Health has warned that by the year 2040, there could be more than 100,000 Malaysians on dialysis if nothing is done to stop the rising cases of kidney failure in the country. What does it mean to be on lifelong dialysis and what can we do to pr...

Throughout the pandemic, our healthcare frontliners have been hailed as heroes for their work in caring for COVID-19 patients. We’ve all seen the pictures of doctors and nurses exhausted after spending their entire shift treating patients in their full PPEs. But tributes aside, are our frontliners given the treatment and remuneration they deserve? And who else should be recognised as essenti...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably affected everyone, across communities and borders, but not everyone is affected equally. In light of World Population Day which falls on 11th July every year, we take a look at how the pandemic has disproportionately affected women, especially their ri...

Almost every one of us has experienced pain, whether it’s a simple paper cut or a more serious injury from an accident. But what if you never felt pain at all? Last year, it was reported that a 71 year old woman from Scotland had never experienced pain in her life due to a rare genetic mutation. In this episode of Brain Waves, we dive into the world of pain with neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahm...

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are rippling through the lives of many migrant workers in Malaysia – and those of their families. Migrant workers are financially and socially vulnerable, with little to no safety nets to support them. The infection has also targeted migrant communities, who are at higher risk due to their living conditions and access to healthcare. Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO...

The ankle is the body’s unsung hero. It supports all lower body movements we use in daily life, like walking, running, climbing up and down the stairs, and squatting. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh joins us to tell us why there is more to this ‘hinge joint’ than meets the eye. We also look at a study where scientists have found a way to reveal the mechanics of the...

Fire safety is important in any building, but it is especially crucial in hospitals because of the vulnerability of patients as well as the sheer number of people who live and work there. So how are public hospitals in Malaysia built to ensure that it is fire-safe? What are dangers that lurk in hospitals? We speak to urban planner Mustapha Kamal to find out how hospitals can be maintained to meet...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. COVID-19 might be at the forefront of our minds right now, but the results from the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey have reminded us that there is another health crisis that we shouldn’t forget. With little to no improvements on the incidence of non-communicable diseases a...

We are back for our monthly open clinic segment, where we get our doctors to address your health concerns. On today’s show, consultant respiratory physician Dr Helmy Haja Mydin is here to answer your questions about the lungs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a perfect world, exercise and sports wouldn’t cause you any aches and pains, but any strenuous physical activity does come with a risk of injury. Part of dealing with an injury is allowing it to heal, so that you can go back to exercising as normal as soon as possible. So here to help us understand what the healing process entails and whether we can speed up that process is consultant ort...

For parents of children with autism, one of the more difficult issues they face is how to talk to children on the spectrum about puberty and sexual development. We find out more from educational psychologist Tan Cheng Yi. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Running a micro, small or medium enterprise is no easy feat, especially when you’re working with a relatively small team of people. But amidst other challenges of running a business, how can SMEs ensure the health and safety of their staff? We speak to Dr Priya Ragunath, Head of the...

If you are raising a child with special needs, there’s never a dull moment. Every day is a new challenge of learning with your child. Most of your days are also spent taking your child for therapy – something that requires a lot of patience and commitment from both parent and child. Here’s a guide for parents on how to make special needs therapy a success, from  Consultant D...

In Malaysia, non-profit and charitable organisations contribute significantly to health services for the community. We speak to Dr Hj Azriman Rosman, CEO of MAA Medicare Charitable Foundation, to find out how these services have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when the country was under the Movement Control Order. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most of us, it was tough to keep up with our exercise regimes at home during the MCO, whether it was due to lack of space, equipment, or even motivation. So as we now move into the RMCO, many of us are able to return to our exercise routines. But how can we do this safely and avoid the risk of injury as our body gets used to a higher level of physical activity? See omnystudio.com/listener for...

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resilience and capacity of national health systems worldwide. We speak to Dr Shahid Jameel, CEO, Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance to get his thoughts on how countries should reform their health systems post-COVID-19. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resilience and capacity of national health systems worldwide. We speak to Dr Shahid Jameel, CEO, Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance to get his thoughts on how countries should reform their health systems post-COVID-19. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. There is an epidemic killing hundreds of thousands of Malaysian every year – and it’s not COVID-19. It is the epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic kidney disease, and many others, that are among the leading c...

Interventional pulmonology is a growing field which uses minimally invasive endoscopic techniques to get around the respiratory system. We speak to consultant interventional pulmonologist Dr Rosmadi Ismail from Sunway Medical Centre to find out more about the role of interventional pulmonology in treating respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, COPD, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Based on the National Cancer Registry, ovarian cancer is the fourth most common among Malaysian women. But ovarian cancer is often difficult to detect in its early stages, when there are more treatment options and the survival rates are higher. We’re speaking to consultant clinical oncologist Dr Mastura Md Yusof to help us unpack why early detection is challenging,  how we can improve s...