Health & Living

When Medications Fuel The Next Superbug

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Medicines save lives, but they’re also fuelling a silent but grave threat: antimicrobial resistance. After years of warning and education, are we st...

Patient Safety #3: Regulating Medical Devices and Health Tech

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Medical devices save lives. Picture the X-ray machine that detects your disease, the ventilator that supports your breathing, or the pacemaker that ke...

Is The Gut Microbiota Linked To Long COVID?

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our first few years of life don’t just shape our memories — they also shape our microbes, trillions of which reside in our gut. The gut microbiome...

Ask A Doctor: Heavy Periods

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On our open clinic show, we tackle a problem that most women feel embarrassed or reluctant to discuss - heavy periods. Consultant obstetrician and gyn...

Healthy Ageing: What’s Spiking Your Blood Pressure?

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most common non-communicable diseases among Malaysians, and as you get older the risk for hypertensi...

Prostate Cancer in the Age of Nuclear Medicine

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With advanced imaging and targeted therapies, doctors can now “see what they treat, and treat what they see”. We explore how nuclear medicine is d...

Public Health: The Hidden Crisis of Endometriosis

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Severe period and pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during urination, bowel movements and sexual intercourse - imagine living in such consta...

Patient Safety #2: Safe Staff, Safe Patients

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the second episode of the mini-series on patient safety, we take a deeper dive into the inextricable link between the health workforce and patient ...

Mind Matters: How To Build Strong Social Connections

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Humans are inherently social creatures, but despite a world that is more interconnected than ever, people are increasingly disconnected socially. In f...

Counsellor’s Corner: Self-Care or Selfish?

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a world where we’re constantly told to remember to look after our own wellbeing and to find a way to balance self-care with our work, fam...

Bariatric Surgery Is Changing

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Typically, we’ve thought of bariatric surgery as invasive procedures that remove part of the stomach, or bypass it. As the technology improves, surg...

Brilliant, Female Magnificent 2025 Panel 2: Glow Up & Level Up Your Body

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time to look past the imperfections you see and start learning how to love your body - no matter what other people on your Instagram feed look ...

Brilliant, Female Magnificent 2025 Panel 3: Girlbossing Your Budget

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Budgeting and managing your finances shouldn’t be a chore. Learn how to grow your income and make your money work for you, whether you want to affor...

Brilliant, Female Magnificent 2025 Panel 1: From Stress to Self-Care

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling drained from juggling work and personal commitments while looking like you’ve got it all held together? Whether it’s managing work stress ...

Patient Safety #1: The True Cost of Unsafe Care

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When there are problems or errors in healthcare that cause patients harm or injury, who pays the price? Not just the patients and families, but the re...

Are You Eating Enough Protein?

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We learned at a young age that protein is an essential part of our diet, but with high-protein foods and protein supplements being marketed at us cons...

Humans of Healthcare: The Medical Microbiologist

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a field where the tiniest of organisms can have the largest of impacts, just how important is the role of a medical microbiologist? And how much do...

What A “Ghost Poop” Tells You About Your Gut Health

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You might have seen people talk about having “ghost poops” on social media, and no, this isn’t related to Halloween. What it refers to is stool ...

Does Faith Have A Place in My Illness?

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Being diagnosed with a life-limiting or terminal illness brings with it a lot of existential questions about what happens next, and how you will face ...

Why It Matters To Pick Up Atrial Fibrillation Early

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia, where someone with this condition has an irregular heart rhythm. If left untreated, it incr...

Beyond The Diagnosis #33: A Broken Promise of Access To Care (Living With HIV)

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a promise of lifelong healthcare is suddenly cut off? That was the case for Amanda Mei Chu Damian, who was diagnosed with HIV as a b...

Grieving the Loss of a Pet

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Losing a pet can feel like losing a member of the family. Yet many people find their grief dismissed or misunderstood, making the healing process even...

Is Your Child’s Environment Too Clean? (And How It Affects Their Immune System)

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably heard people say that kids these days have poorer immune systems compared to previous generations because they’re less exposed to ...

Injuries in Martial Arts

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Martial arts is something familiar to many Malaysians, from those taekwondo classes in schools to people doing muay thai as part of their weekend work...

Brain Waves: Can We Create Synthetic DNA?

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the UK, scientists are embarking on an ambitious project to create human DNA from scratch, in hopes that it will lead to new therapies to treat dis...

Mind Matters: How Professionals Are Transforming Mental Health Conversations

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Childhood experiences aren’t always nostalgic pictures in a photo album. Many issues in our childhood can also be painful, difficult or coloured by ...

Budget 2026 And The Needs of An Ageing Population

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Catering to the needs of an ageing population means planning ahead and setting aside enough funds for those policies and programmes, but with aged car...

Focal Therapies For Prostate Cancer: Separating Facts From Hype

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the treatment of prostate cancer, the thought of surgery and radiotherapy can be frightening for some patients, even if these are the...

Ask A Doctor: Vaccination For Older Adults

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In our open clinic session, two consultant geriatricians - Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin and Dr Kejal Hasmukharay - join us to answer questions about vaccinatio...

Palliative Care Can Change A Child’s Life

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Palliative care is still taboo to speak about, because of how it’s associated with a dying patient. Then, picture a doctor telling parents that thei...

Public Health: Does Budget 2026 Answer Our Healthcare Needs

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Ministry of Finance had promised that Budget 2026 would tackle healthcare reform, address rising medical costs, and strengthen health security. Do...

Humans of Healthcare: The Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Caring for patients with serious or terminal illnesses is not an easy feat. On this episode of Humans of Healthcare, and in conjunction with World Hos...

Mind, Body, Years: A Lifelong Health Journey

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Getting old isn’t a diagnosis. Whether it’s hearing and memory, or vision and mobility, you don’t have to lose what makes life joyful. At BFM’...

Why Are Women Still Refusing Mammograms?

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the years, we’ve improved leaps and bounds when it comes to awareness of breast cancer and the data on women diagnosed early with breast cancer...

How Budget 2026 Should Address Mental Health Needs

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mental health is one of the most urgent public health issues in our population, yet often the funding for mental health services falls far behind comp...

What Healthcare Reforms Should Be Prioritised in Budget 2026

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia’s health system is under strain—public hospitals face long waits and staff shortages, while private healthcare costs and medical insuranc...

Counsellor’s Corner: Is Imposter Syndrome Real?

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Licensed counsellor Lee Kah Seng joins us on Counsellor’s Corner to answer questions about imposter syndrome. Is it real? Why do we feel so much sel...

Alternative Funding For Breast Cancer Care in Southeast Asia

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As public resources and mainstream funding for cancer care become increasingly scarce, how can patient groups explore alternative financing strategies...

Patient Navigation for Breast Cancer Care in Southeast Asia

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does patient navigation accelerate access to breast cancer care and support? At a recent roundtable discussion on ‘Navigating Access to Improve ...

Boldly Facing The ‘M’ 2025 Panel 2: Power, Purpose, Planning

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Midlife isn’t the end of your purpose - it’s the start of your next, most intentional chapter. Discover how legacy planning can help you define wh...

Boldly Facing The ‘M’ 2025 Panel 1: Your Body & Mind During Menopause

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel like your body and mind were taken over by aliens the moment you turned 40? You’re not alone. Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog and a...

Beyond The Diagnosis #32: “I Couldn’t Give Up”

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When illness strikes suddenly, it can turn your world upside down in an instant. For Gabriel Wong, a brain infection spread to his spine, leaving him ...

Rehab in Palliative Care

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When someone is diagnosed with a life-limiting disease, palliative care is important to help patients live with good quality of life. Rehab therapy ca...

Will Budget 2026 Include the Needs of Neurodivergent Children

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every child deserves the chance to thrive — but not every child has the same start or opportunities. For some families, that means navigating the ch...

Ask A Doctor: Your Eyes and Vision

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly Ask A Doctor segment, we speak to consultant ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon Dr Kenneth Fong about common questions you have ...

Because Feelings Matter #45: When A Dream Job Turned Into Workplace Bullying

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine being bullied at the workplace, where you’re shouted at, and humiliated by, your boss on a daily basis. Cheryl tolerated this for several mo...

Sport Climbing & Bouldering - Is It For Everyone?

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The popularity of indoor climbing and bouldering has surged in recent years, and gyms are popping up across our capital city. But how much of it is a ...

Ouch! Kidney Stones Again?

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that you could have stones in your kidneys for years without knowing it? Is this dangerous and how do we identify them? We find out more ...

Mind Matters: When Vulnerable Children Are Bullied

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia has one of the highest rates of bullying in schools, compared with 44 other countries worldwide. We explore how bullying affects children in ...

Finally, A National Rare Disease Policy - So What’s Next?

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Ministry of Health recently unveiled the long-awaited National Rare Disease Policy, which is aimed at improving access to care for people living w...

When Companion Chatbots Become Therapists

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

People - adults and children - are turning to AI chatbots to talk about their mental health and how they’re feeling. But is this as harmless as it s...

Public Health: The Neglect of Fungal Infections

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You may brush off having thrush or ringworm as just a simple fungal infection. However, fungal infections are on the rise as a serious public health c...

Healthy Ageing: Substance Use Disorders Among Older Adults

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Substance use disorders are often already challenging to manage, so what happens when the person who needs help is an older adult, potentially with co...

Humans of Healthcare: The (Female) Urologist

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does a urologist only treat urinary problems or male sexual health issues? On this episode of Humans of Healthcare, we guide you through the type of c...

Best For Moms 2025 Panel 2: How To Raise Financially-Savvy Kids

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As parents, your No. 1 focus is probably your child’s education. But don’t forget that teaching children about financial literacy is also an impor...

Best For Moms 2025 Panel 1: Health, Hormones & Holding It Together

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anxiety, brain fog, depression, stress, overstimulation - sound familiar, mummies? We got you - this is a safe space to share all the mental health is...

Counsellor’s Corner: Bullying

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With more reports of bullying in schools, universities and even workplaces surfacing, we open up our Counsellor’s Corner to answer questions about t...

Cancer Research: Highs and Lows

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past decade, cancer research has delivered remarkable advances — from precision therapies and immunotherapy breakthroughs to improved survi...

Hospice Care Supports Patients and Caregivers

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Death is a difficult topic for most of us, yet it is an inevitable part of human life. For those diagnosed with terminal or life-limiting diseases, pa...

NCD Chronicles #31: A Senior Caring For Another Senior (The Caregiver Burden)

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With a population that is ageing and increasingly burdened with non-communicable diseases, what happens when an older adult needs a full-time caregive...

How Newborn Screening Helps SCID Families (And Other Rare Disorders)

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably heard of “bubble boy” or “bubble baby” disease, where a child diagnosed with it has to live in a germ-free, sterile and cont...

How Global Clinical Trials Began In Malaysia

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure or heart failure, some of the drugs you’re taking for treatment may have been tested right here in Malaysi...

Because Feelings Matter #44: Behind The Call With A Befriender

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The volunteers of Befrienders KL provide emotional support 24 hours, every day, for people who are lonely, in distress, in despair or having suicidal ...

Why Won’t My Baby Eat? Breaking Down Paediatric Feeding Problems

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Good nutrition, especially in the first year of life, is especially important for a child to grow and develop healthily. So what happens when babies a...

A Chikungunya Outbreak in China - Should We Be Worried?

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China is currently seeing an outbreak of chikungunya - a mosquito-borne illness - in Guangdong province with more than 7,000 cases reported earlier th...

Ask A Doctor: How To Eat Better (And Healthier)

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The recently published National Health and Morbidity Survey 2024 focussing on nutrition revealed just how bad Malaysians’ diets are. Now that’s pr...

Brain Waves: How Hearing Loss Changes The Brain

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hearing loss is often brought up as a risk factor for dementia, especially later on in life but what exactly explains that link? On this episode of Br...

Why Kids Are Turning to AI Chatbots

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kids today use AI for homework, research, to answer their curious questions, and increasingly, for companionship. As we hear of extreme cases of child...

Scuba Therapy for People With Disabilities

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For people with disabilities or mobility issues, the world can be difficult to navigate, especially when our urban environment lacks accessibility. Bu...

How Safe Are MRIs?

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, Keith McAllister, a 61 year-old man in the US, died after being sucked in by an MRI machine’s magnetic force. We explore the safety of usi...

Public Health: Health in Budget 2026 - Spending or Investment?

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Budget 2026 will be tabled in October, and if the discourse around healthcare financing and medical costs are anything to go by, all eyes will be on t...

Healthy Ageing: Is Urinary Incontinence Normal?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Urinary incontinence may seem common among older adults, but is it a normal part of ageing? On this episode of Healthy Ageing, we speak to consultant ...

Mind Matters: When Name-Calling Among Kids Becomes Harmful

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us would remember being called names at least once in school. While many may think this is just kids being kids, it doesn’t feel great to be...

Autoimmune Diseases Are Often Diagnosed Too Late

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Autoimmune diseases don’t always arrive with a dramatic entrance. More often, they creep in with vague fatigue, nagging joint pain, or an unexplaine...

How Do We Treat Vaping Addiction in Kids

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve talked about the unchecked vaping crisis among kids and teenagers, and the need to put an end to it. But for those who are already addicted to...

Counsellor’s Corner: How To Be A Good Parent

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Licensed counsellor Heeran Kaur steps into the studio for Counsellor’s Corner, to answer questions from parents about the do’s and don’ts of par...

How To Effectively Prevent Heart Disease

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia’s most recent death statistics from 2023 showed that ischaemic heart disease was the second leading cause of death. Unfortunately, we canno...

Humans of Healthcare: The (Academic) Nutritionist

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysians are often told that we don’t eat very healthy - and this is where nutritionists come in to help guide the population and policies towards...

How Doctors Can Pick Up Domestic Violence in Primary Care

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Primary care can play an important role in picking up cases of family or domestic violence early, but are our healthcare workers trained to do so and ...

We Have Better Treatment For Lung Cancer, But Is It Accessible?

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lung cancer is still one of the most common cancers in Malaysia and most of our lung cancer patients are still diagnosed in the late stages. In conjun...

Narcotics Anonymous: Staying Clean, One Day At A Time

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

People with drug addiction or substance use disorder are often stigmatised and walk a long and lonely path towards recovery. We speak to Charles, Zam ...

Malaysia’s Progress in Treating Hepatitis C

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, Malaysia made headlines as the first country in the world to issue a government-use license to bypass the patent on a key hepatitis C drug—...

Ask A Doctor: Snoring (and Breathing)

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Snoring is disruptive and often dismissed as a normal bodily function but it can be a sign of a more serious health problem. On this episode of Ask A ...

NCD Chronicles #30: Living With A Smoking Addiction, Then Lung Cancer

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Most smokers think that they’ll never get lung cancer - that it only happens to others and not them. That’s how Apparao Applanaidu used to think w...

Is Ceramic and “Non-Toxic” Cookware Safe?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The rising popularity of ceramic cookware products has seen these colourful pots and pans become coveted products in kitchens today. The range of kitc...

Understanding Catastrophising and Dichotomous Thoughts in Autism

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Living in a neurotypical world, we have to deal with many grey areas, nuances and contextual situations. This can be challenging for children who are ...

When Treatments & Trials for Rare Disorders Exclude Malaysia

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

About 95% of rare disorders don’t have a treatment for it, and even in cases where treatment is available or a clinical trial is being conducted, no...

Because Feelings Matter #43: A 10-Year Dream of Motherhood

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Motherhood brings with it a complexity of mental health issues, but what about the period leading up to conceiving a baby? And what if it takes a woma...

Healthy Ageing: Breaking The Stigma on Dementia

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to people with dementia to continue living their lives with dignity and quality. In this episode of Healthy Agei...

Your Kidneys Can Be Damaged By Heat Exposure

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Extreme heat exposure can be deadly, and one of the ways that could happen is through kidney damage. It’s not a consequence of higher temperatures t...

Is Rakan KKM Privatisation of Healthcare?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Ministry of Health is set to introduce the Rakan KKM some time this year, an initiative said to offer “premium economy” services to the public...

Strengthening Your Core Is More Than Just Your Abs

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When exercising, trainers and coaches often speak about the importance of strengthening your core - you might even have seen this on TikTok videos. Bu...

Mind Matters: Can We Improve Public Housing To Improve Public Health?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While public housing in Malaysia aims to keep low-income communities out of slums, we’ve seen that it is not enough to merely provide a roof over th...

What Is Social Health Insurance And Will It Work For Malaysians

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Ministry of Health is planning to roll out social health insurance, in a bid to make healthcare - including private healthcare - more accessible t...

Heavy Vehicle Accidents Raise Concerns Over Head Trauma

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The recent spate of heavy vehicle accidents has raised concerns over the severity and long-term consequences of trauma injuries, particularly head tra...

Public Health: PERKESO As A Safety Net For Health

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a salaried employee, your monthly payslip will state a small contribution to the Social Security Organization or PERKESO. Where do these f...

The Real Fertility Crisis Is When Couples Are Denied Choice

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We keep being told that there is a ‘fertility crisis’ as people continue to have fewer children or none at all. But is there really a crisis brewi...

It’s Time We Mandate Training Doctors & Nurses in Palliative Care

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Palliative care should be an important part of most healthcare workers’ training, because its goal is to alleviate suffering and improve the quality...

Counsellor’s Corner: Helping Students Cope With Academic Stress

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are students today under too much pressure, as academic demands increase? Or are young people today just less adept at dealing with stress? Licensed a...

What Happens When Doctors Use AI?

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can generative AI tools like ChatGPT improve workflow in clinics and hospitals, allowing doctors and nurses to focus on the most important areas of pa...