Health & Living

How does the world around us – our environment, our culture and our relationships – interact with our health? One of the most pressing social issues facing us today is the physical and emotional toll faced by the sandwich generation: middle-aged individuals who are pressured with the obligation to support and care for their elderly parents while also raising their children. This is an...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Over one million patient-related messages are sent each day by doctors in Malaysia’s public hospitals, using chat apps. These messages may often contain confidential information about patients and their medical conditions. We look at patients’ privacy issues and how to use tec...

We are back for our monthly open clinic segment, where we get our doctors to address your health concerns. On today’s show, Dr Premitha Damodaran, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, is here to answer your questions about women’s health issues – from menstruation to menopause and everything in between. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On May 2, the Cabinet announced that price control measures for medications would be implemented. This has generated a flurry of reactions from the pharmaceutical industry, private hospitals, civil society and consumers. We try to understand the issue with the help of Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO, Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy and Dr June Choon, Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Sciences, who spe...

Problems of the face, mouth and jaw, such as facial trauma, tumours and jaw disorders, require complex expertise. We find out how these problems can be treated, as well as how they could impact our daily routines from Dr Sathesh Balasundram, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon from Subang Jaya Medical Centre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corruption occurs in many aspects of our daily lives, from the individual level right up to the institutional. While healthcare is the one sector that you hope to be free of the taint of corruption, unfortunately, it is among the most corrupt sectors in many countries. In this episode of Health: The Nuts & Bolts, we explore areas of healthcare in Malaysia that need to be strengthened against c...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. When we talk about private hospitals, what often comes up is the price. Are private hospitals too expensive? How do they justify their costs? We’ll be speaking to Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, president of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia to find out more about this as well as...

We’re coming to the end of the year and on this episode of Brain Waves, we sit down with neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar to catch up on some brain news that we haven’t had a chance to discuss this year: doctors have managed to place humans in suspended animation for the first time while scientists are growing brain cells in labs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

We return with our monthly mental health clinic with consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan. On this segment, we address your concerns regarding mental, emotional and psychosocial issues.  If you need emotional support, you can call Befrienders at  603-79568145  or email  sam@befrienders.org.my . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steroid injections have become a commonly accepted form of treatment for knee or hip pain caused by osteoarthritis. However, a new study by Boston University School of Medicine researchers reveals that these steroid injections may be harmful in certain groups of patients or may cause complications that are not well understood. We find out more from consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh. S...

Steroid injections have become a commonly accepted form of treatment for knee or hip pain caused by osteoarthritis. However, a new study by Boston University School of Medicine researchers reveals that these steroid injections may be harmful in certain groups of patients or may cause complications that are not well understood. We find out more from consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh. S...

Many of the health issues we face today are linked to our lifestyles and daily habits – hence, the constant messages about adopting healthier lifestyles. In line with that, health promotion plays a central role in encouraging people to take control of their health in order to prevent illnesses. Yet, the Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ismail recently tabled a Bill in Parliament, w...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. As medicines and supplements are becoming easier to buy, we are seeing the proliferation of sales of these online. But how do we know if what you’re buying is the real thing, and not a well-made counterfeit? And what can we do to counter the rise of counterfeit medicine? To help us...

Late motherhood is increasingly common as more women choose to have children later in life. But age is often linked to a higher risk of complications during the pregnancy, especially if the mother is above thirty five. So to help us understand these risks and the prenatal care they need is Dr Farah Azura Ab Rahman , consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist from Sunway Medical Centre. See omnystud...

This is a special edition of Health & Living for Universal Children’s Day, where we’re speaking to children from two families affected by medical problems. Children have a different perspective but people don’t often listen to them – so today, we want to find out from Leah Choy and Jaden Lim about how they feel about the things that matter to them. See omnystudio.com/li...

In 2010, the UN General Assembly recognized access to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right, and called for international efforts to help countries to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation. In conjunction with World Toilet Day, we look at the public health importance of ensuring safe water and sanitation for everyone. Dr Ahmad Munawar...

Growing older is supposed to be synonymous with retirement and relaxation. But are older Malaysians becoming unhappier, and why? On Mind Matters, our monthly mental health segment, we discuss mental health issues among the elderly with consultant psychiatrist Assoc Prof Dr Amer Siddiq bin Amer Nordin from University Malaya Medical Centre, and Assoc Prof Dr Farizah Mohd Hairi from University Malaya...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. In conjunction with World Diabetes Day on 14 November, we look at one of the major complications of diabetes: diabetic retinopathy. This is a leading cause of blindness in Malaysia. Consultant ophthalmologist Dr Mohanarasan Ratanam joins the conversation to look at how we can reduce the b...

A 73-year-old woman from Colombia had managed to stave of Alzheimer’s disease for decades, despite that she carried a genetic mutation that caused many in her family to develop dementia in middle age. But it was recently reported that she may carry another genetic mutation that may have protected her from early onset dementia. To find out more about what this means in the study of Alzheimer&...

In 1997, the Government launched the Telemedicine Blueprint for Malaysia and Hospital Selayang went paperless in 1999. Twenty years later, digital technologies and social media have broken down physical barriers among people, but are we anywhere closer to the ideal digital health landscape? Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy and Dr Wong Chee Piau, founding member...

When it comes to chronic kidney disease, the numbers are staggering. More than 40,000 people in Malaysia on dialysis for kidney disease, and more than 100,000 Malaysians are expected to suffer kidney failure over the next two decades. How do we fare in terms of managing chronic kidney disease, and are we paying enough attention to our diet? We speak to Dr Tan Li Ping, Consultant Nephrologist from...

When it comes to chronic kidney disease, the numbers are staggering. More than 40,000 people in Malaysia on dialysis for kidney disease, and more than 100,000 Malaysians are expected to suffer kidney failure over the next two decades. How do we fare in terms of managing chronic kidney disease, and are we paying enough attention to our diet? We speak to Dr Tan Li Ping, Consultant Nephrologist from...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Lung cancer is one of the most fatal cancers in Malaysia – not because it cannot be treated but because 90% of cases in Malaysia are only detected at the advanced stages. What can we do to diagnose lung cancer earlier, so that patients have better outcomes and quality of life? In co...

Injuries can be tough for those who just love to play. Whether you're a professional athlete or a gymrat, all you would want to do after recovering from an injury is to hit the ground running. We’re continuing a conversation we had last month with Dr Harjeet Singh, and we’ll be taking a deep dive into the recovery process at the return of play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

When it comes to coping with autism, it is not easy to decide which intervention will best suit you or your child. There is a wide range of interventions and approaches available for both children and adults with autism. One of these interventions is the Son-Rise programme. We find out more about the programme from Raun Kaufman, director of global education at the Autism Treatment Centre of Americ...