Health & Living

Four out of 10 Malaysians will require end-of-life care, and it’s estimated that 40 per cent of that figure will be made up of patients suffering from cancer. A recent study found that Malaysians prefer to be cared for at home if they have a life-limiting illness, but many don’t have their wishes fulfilled because of the stigma attached to hospice-care. Our panel of speakers discussed...

On Monday, 2nd July, international rescue divers found the Thai football team that had been trapped in the Tham Luang cave network since 23rd June. The team, made up of 12 boys aged between 11 and 16, and their coach were trapped in the caves by monsoon rains that flooded them in. Dr Alzamani Mohammad Idrose, Consultant Emergency Physician, helps us understand what the team has gone through and wh...

If you are providing care or support for someone with a mental health condition, you are probably struggling with a lot of challenges yourself. It can be incredibly stressful, lonely and challenging. We speak to Cheong Sue Jen, Executive Secretary from the Malaysian Mental Health Association about the caregiver’s journey when it comes to mental health conditions. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Gender, sex, sexuality and intimacy – these words seem to mean the same thing, but actually define very different aspects of our gender and sexuality. With the recent news that the World Health Organization has removed “gender incongruence” from the chapter on Mental and Behavioural Disorders in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), and recla...

Former Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak was arrested by the MACC yesterday. As we follow the ongoing news, we’re also looking at how social media has become the barometer for people’s reactions to the case. We speak to consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan to understand the psychology behind this trial by social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

We all have jobs that take a toll on our posture – whether it’s sitting hunched over a computer or on our feet all day. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh explains why poor posture is the cause of many musculoskeletal pains and aches that we experience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian healthcare system has a public sector that is heavily subsidised, alongside a user-charged private sector. New drugs and new methods in care have led to higher healthcare costs over the past decade, so what would a sustainable healthcare system for Malaysia look like in the long run? Has our current successful formula set us us for future failure? Join our panel speakers for Health a...

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has confirmed that Dr Lee Boon Chye (PKR-Gopeng) has agreed to take up the post of Deputy Health Minister. We speak to Dr Lee about what he hopes to achieve with his appointment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, the Human Resource Ministry announced its plans to ban foreign cooks in food establishments by January 2019. In one reaction, a national English newspaper highlighted a study by UM researchers on microbes found on foreign food handlers. Joining us to explain more about this study and the problem of food contamination is microbiologist Prof Dr Thong Kwai Lin from the University...

Is modern life, including our incessant use of technology, raising a generation of rude children? Consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan talks manners and empathy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The war on drugs has failed us. We need drug policies that prioritise health and human rights, instead of criminalising drug users. In conjunction with International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking yesterday, Prof Dato' Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya; Hariyati Jonet from Malaysian AIDS Council; and Samantha Chong, human rights lawyer join...

Your immune system is supposed to protect your body from disease-causing organisms. However, when something goes wrong, your immune system can turn on you and cause damage to your own body. Dr Raveendran Ramachadran, Consultant Rheumatologist from Subang Jaya Medical Centre, tells us more about autoimmune diseases. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring the latest in health news. For the first time, WHO has included gaming addiction as a disease in its latest International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It’s game on as experts on either side of the divide debate this inclusion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring the latest in health news. At least 2,000 children have been separated from their parents under US President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy. What is the psychosocial, emotional and physical impact on children? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring the latest in health news. Sinar Harian reported that mother in Maran, Pahang, slashed the throat of her two-year-old son, allegedly while hallucinating. We discuss post-partum depression and post-partum psychosis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. In conjunction with World Blood Donor Day on June 14th, Dr Noryati Abu Amin, the director of the National Blood Bank, shares how the centre ensures that the country has enough blood supply at all times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have come to accept cancer as part of our daily vocabulary. But we shouldn’t be complacent about the fact that cancer kills 4.3 million people prematurely. We can and must do more to prevent unnecessary deaths through better prevention, detection and treatment methods. Julie Torode, Deputy CEO and Director of Advocacy and Networks, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), is here to...

Athletes are often perceived as fit, healthy and well. But is that really true? What underlying medical conditions could harm the careers of athletes, and how can they avoid the worst from happening? Joining us to discuss the cardiovascular wellness of athletes is Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dato’ Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib of IJN. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

In March, between 15,000 and 30,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip took part in the Great March of Return, a protest against the blockade of the Gaza strip. Due to the injuries sustained by people, the Great March became the bloodiest day in Gaza since the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict. Dr Khamis Elessi, neurorehabilitation consultant and pain specialist who is also Mercy Malaysia's Medical Advisor in...

We bring the latest in health news. Eating a cracker can tell you how well your body digests carbs, according to BBC . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring the latest in health news. Can rice and other similar carbs make children hyperactive? We investigate the effects of sugar on the behavior or cognition of children. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All humans experience some cognitive decline as they age but how is it that some people in their 80s and beyond still have memory capacity of those 30 or more years younger? A study on super-agers offers genetic clues to resilient memory performance, which, researchers say, may be inherited. Consultant Geriatrician Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin joins neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar for her monthly Br...

The new Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad assumed office three weeks ago and he already has his plate full. In the sixth episode of our Public Health series, Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, and Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman, former Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Health and professor of public health join us to discuss what should be the priorities...

The deaths of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and handbag designer Kate Spade have resurfaced the difficult topic of suicide. One of the questions we have been asking is why they killed themselves when they seemed to have it all: success, fame and wealth? Consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan and Victor Tan from Befrienders KL join us to discuss how to recognise the signs of depression...

We bring the latest in health news. A woman’s lung cancer was missed because doctors kept telling her to lose weight . We look at discriminatory practices in healthcare. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.