Health & Living

If you have cancer, the COVID-19 outbreak, and its rapid spread here in Malaysia, is probably a source of constant anxiety. Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Medical Director of the National Cancer Society, guides us through what people with cancer need to know about going for treatment and staying safe during this outbreak. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re constantly waking up at night to urinate, it’s probably disturbing your sleep and causing other problems. Night urination (or medically known as nocturia), is a common medical condition that can affect both men and women, young and old. Consultant urologist Prof Dr Ong Teng Aik tells us more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With so much anxiety and uncertainty over the COVID-19 outbreak, how can parents talk to their kids – including children with special needs – about what’s going on? And how do parents manage these four weeks at home with their children, with the Movement Control Order being imposed on schools? We check in with consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan to find...

We hear a lot about contact tracing and surveillance as a critical part of the response to COVID-19. But what exactly does it involve? We find out more from public health physician Dr Gunenthira Rao, who coordinates the district level response in one of the states. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cancer treatments can leave the patients feeling weak and fatigued, which can have negative repercussions on their quality of life. That’s where physical rehabilitation comes in to help improve the strength and stamina of the individual, so that they can return to their daily routines. To find out more about the role of rehabilitation after cancer treatments, we’ll be speaking to clini...

With the Movement Control Order in place from the 18th to 31st March, we’re looking at one of the most vulnerable groups in our community: the elderly. We find out from consultant geriatrician Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin what are the most urgent concerns for the elderly and how we can better care for them during these times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With one more case of polio in Sabah this week bringing the total reported cases to four, there is clearly an urgent need to immunise non-Malaysian children. The Ministry of Health and the Sabah Health Department embarked on a Polio Immunisation Campaign last December, ad last month, the Ministry of Health also received 2.5 million doses of polio vaccine from the World Health Organization and UNIC...

Universities and tertiary institutions will be shut for 2 weeks, starting today, under the Movement Control Order. On the Mind Matters series, we speak to Assoc Prof Dr Amer Siddiq bin Amer Nordin, Consultant Psychiatrist, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, to discuss the impact of this disease outbreak, and the restriction of activities, on the mental health of youths. ------- If you need emotiona...

Yesterday, the government of Malaysia announced a Movement Control Order, restricting public gatherings and a wide range of activities in a bid to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. Amid the frenzied sharing of information related to this development, there is a lot of confusion about where this outbreak is headed and where this latest government intervention fits into the overall public he...

Yesterday, the government of Malaysia announced a Movement Control Order, restricting public gatherings and a wide range of activities in a bid to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. Amid the frenzied sharing of information related to this development, there is a lot of confusion about where this outbreak is headed and where this latest government intervention fits into the overall public he...

Eating a healthy diet shouldn’t just be prioritised by the young, as malnutrition is increasingly affecting older adults these days. So how would our nutritional needs change as we grow older and what is the importance of a healthy diet among the elderly? We’re speaking to dietitian Rozanna M Rosly to find out more about the reasons behind malnutrition among the elderly and its consequ...

Most of us find it difficult to make lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to our level of physical activity and diet. But these changes can significantly improve our health, especially for those living with diabetes. To help us find out how exercise and physical activity help with diabetes management, we’re speaking to sports and exercise physician, Dr Kavitha Mahadevan. See omnystudi...

According to the Malaysia National Cancer Registry Report 2012-2016, colorectal cancer is the most common cancer among men in Malaysia, and the second most common among women. For those diagnosed at the early stages, prompt and proper treatment can help patients to do well. But after treatment, what next? Consultant colorectal surgeon Dr Ragu Ramasamy from Subang Jaya Medical Centre discusses foll...

On this episode of Health: The Nuts & Bolts, we look at hospitals as a key aspect of service delivery, and why it’s not simply a case of slinging together bricks and mortar to build them. Public policy specialist Dr Khor Swee Kheng walks us through the issues facing hospital systems in Malaysia.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of us find it difficult to talk about women’s sexual and reproductive health due to cultural and religious taboos here in Malaysia. In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we’re speaking to two women who have spent much of their careers spearheading this aspect of women’s health in Malaysia: Dato' Dr Narimah Awin, Chairperson, National Population and Family Dev...

Malaysians are overly fond of salty food. However, many of us do not pay enough attention to the salt and sodium content in our daily meals. We find out more about how much salt Malaysians consume on a daily basis, and what we can do to reduce our salt intake. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is widely known that Malaysia is not a signatory of the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention. That means the refugee status is not recognised in the country, and refugees are seen as undocumented or illegal immigrants. This has wide implications on the health of refugees, especially on their access to healthcare services in the country. To help us understand more about the situation on the gr...

When you watch a musician or a dancer performing, it’s enthralling to witness how their bodies move in synchrony to produce something that comes together as a musical or dance performance. But what goes into the performance, from the perspective of functional movement? Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh takes us through the motions of how movement meets music. See omnystudio.com/...

Colorectal cancer still ranks high among cancers affecting Malaysians, and is still being diagnosed at late stages. How does this affect patients’ treatment and outcome? And how can we improve early detection of colorectal cancer, and what are the advances in treatment that show promise in treating the cancer? We speak to Dato’ Dr Tan Huck Joo , Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepa...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. This year, World Rare Disease Day falls on that rarity: a leap day (29 February). We speak to consultant paediatrician & clinical geneticist Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong about the challenges in diagnosing and treating rare diseases, and the policy gaps in ensuring equitable care for patie...

Heart attacks are often seen as a problem that comes with age, but recent news has many of us worried about the possibility of heart attacks striking the young. So why would seemingly healthy and fit people suddenly collapse? To help us find out more about this, we’re speaking to consultant cardiologist Dr Haizal Haron Kamar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GPs are often the first line of response to any health issues, including during the current Covid-19 outbreak. We take a look at how GPs should respond to suspected cases of Covid-19, as well as the steps that they should take to protect the health of the doctors and staff in clinics. We speak to Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, Honorary General Secretary of the Malaysian Medical Association. See omnystu...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. With everyone on high alert for signs and symptoms of the Covid-19 infection, we speak to Datuk Dr Christopher Lee, infectious disease physician, to discuss how GPs should respond to suspected cases. With his expertise as former Deputy Director General (Research & Technical Support) a...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. With everyone on high alert for signs and symptoms of the Covid-19 infection, we speak to Datuk Dr Christopher Lee, infectious disease physician, to discuss how GPs should respond to suspected cases. With his expertise as former Deputy Director General (Research & Technical Support) a...

This week, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed announced that the government will look into changing the death penalty for drug trafficking to a life sentence. This is another step towards reforming drug policy in Malaysia, on the back of the Ministry of Health’s announcement last year that the government would be looking at policy changes towards the decriminalisation of drug use. When t...