Health & Living

Doctor in the House: Medical Brain Drain - What’s the Problem? (Part 1)

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia is losing our doctors. It’s a fact that we’ve known for years, as we’ve seen and heard stories of doctors leaving the public healthcare...

New Year, New COVID-19 Outbreak?

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With China facing a new outbreak following the end of its zero COVID policy last month, many countries are concerned that this could see the beginning...

Be Fit Malaysians: Starting The New Year On The Right Foot

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you made a new year’s resolution to pick up a new sport, hike up a mountain, or perhaps just to sit less and walk more? Or maybe you’re deali...

Can Genomic Surveillance Help Us Face Another Year of the Pandemic?

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As we enter another year of the pandemic, countries are on alert for another spike in infections, and the possibility of new variants circulating. Gen...

Many Small Umbrellas: When People With NCDs Don’t Enjoy Universal Health Coverage

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While Malaysia can take pride in its level of healthcare services for maternal and child health, as well as for infectious diseases and most acute eme...

The Marathon That Changed Cancer Research

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you were a teenager and had lost your leg to bone cancer, would you run a marathon across Canada? Terry Fox did, back in 1980, so that he could rai...

Ask A Doctor: The Sinuses

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our open clinic segment, consultant ENT surgeon Dr Lim Wye Keat joins us to answer questions about one of the most annoying problems plaguing peopl...

Public Health: Malaysia’s Nursing Profession in Critical Condition

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The critical issue of shortage within the nursing profession - serving both public and private hospitals - has carried over across several administrat...

How Are We Tackling Oral Cancer? With Our Very Own App & Vaccine

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oral cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if it’s detected and treated early. But with its signs and symptoms easily mistaken for other condi...

Brain Waves: Should Everyone Take Chris Hemsworth’s Alzheimer’s Test?

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth recently announced that he plans to take time off acting after discovering that he has a genetic risk of developing A...

International Anti-Corruption Day 2022: Corruption Exists in Healthcare And It Affects You

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On International Anti-Corruption Day, we look at why healthcare - as a profession, and as a system - falls prey to corruption, when its very core valu...

Facing Daily Hardship, Refugees Struggle With Mental Health Issues

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly before the 15th General Election, Malaysia’s government under then-Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced its intention to...

When Is A Positive A Negative…And Other Confusing Medical Terms

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Positive, negative, margin of error - these are among some of the terms you might hear when you need a medical test to diagnose (or rule out) a health...

NCD Chronicles #5: Rewriting The Psoriasis Story

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Psoriasis is often mistaken as just a skin disease. With little awareness of psoriasis as a chronic autoimmune disease that can potentially have syste...

Doctor in the House: Understanding Dementia as a Disability

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An ageing population means more of us are familiar with dementia, and it’s easy to understand dementia from a clinical perspective, in that it leads...

World AIDS Day 2022: Equalising Access in Malaysia

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is World AIDS Day today, and this year’s theme is “equalise”, one word that serves to remind us of the inequalities which continue to perpetu...

Walking Out After Joint Replacement

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine going for hip or knee replacement surgery and walking out of the hospital that very same day. This could now be possible, thanks to technical ...

Flood Safety Tips 101: Here’s What You Should (And Shouldn’t) Do

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, the Malaysian Meteorological Department had issued an early monsoon warning that the annual North-East Monsoon that lasts from Nov...

Doctor in the House: What Do You Want From The Next Health Minister?

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s almost a week since the 15th general elections, and finally, the political drama seems to be coming to an end with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim bei...

The Running Club that Celebrates Neurodiversity

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 The Singapore Marathon is unparalleled in Southeast Asia for its global participation, world ranking and experiences for runners. This year, for...

Mental Health and Music Therapy

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We listen to music when we’re feeling down, lonely, or stressed, but also when we’re happy, joyful, and positive. Music isn’t just notes and rhy...

Because Feelings Matter #15: Social Activist Faces Down Cyber-Bullying

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In April 2021, a 17-year-old Malaysian student posted a TikTok video expressing her horror over a rape joke made by her teacher. Within a month, every...

Antimicrobial Resistance Is A Health Threat To Everyone

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic drove home an important lesson: that the smallest organisms can be the deadliest. Not only are they highly fatal, they are also ...

What Malaysia’s Next Government Can Learn From Healthcare Systems Across SEA

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As expectations over healthcare reform increase in the lead-up to GE15, we take a step back from the Malaysian context to look at healthcare systems i...

Doctor in the House: How Early is Early For Prostate Cancer?

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to cancer, doctors always emphasise the importance of being early - early in diagnosis, and early in treatment. But how early is early, ...

Is COVID-19 Really Over?

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some of us might think that COVID-19 is behind us, but with cases recently spiking and more people being admitted into hospitals for severe COVID, how...

Healthy Ageing: Helping Older Adults Get Through Surgery

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 In our increasingly ageing population, more of us will live longer, and are more likely to require some form of surgical procedure, whether mino...

Mind Matters: But Does Mental Health Matter in GE15 Manifestos?

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no denying that we need to do more about mental health, but are our policies and politicians doing and talking enough about it? With GE15 lo...

Could Private Healthcare In Sarawak Support The Public Sector?

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The challenges of the overburdened, under-resourced public health sector in Sarawak are well-known. But in Malaysia’s two-tier healthcare system, pr...

GE15: We Need To Do More To Empower Persons With Disabilities

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The rights and welfare of persons living with disabilities - often referred to as the OKU community - have long been sidelined in Malaysian politics a...

Genetic Counselling: What, Why, and For Whom?

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Genetic Counselor Awareness Day on 10 November - which is observed on the second Thursday in November each year - Yoon Sook Yee, c...

Do I Have Health Anxiety?

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably found yourself worrying a bit more than normal over physical symptoms you’re experiencing, or perhaps even going down a rabbit hol...

Watch Out for Dengue This Monsoon Season

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, dengue has been endemic in Malaysia and remains an ever-present threat all year long. But is it a threat that we still take seriously? We...

Public Health: Health Reforms - Developing Health Beyond GE15

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As GE15 beckons, there is the possibility of a new Health Minister in the next government. How will new political leadership impact the implementation...

Doctor in the House: Disabilities and Medical Claims (Part 2)

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The process of recovery and rehabilitation following an injury can be a long journey - one that is sometimes made lengthier and more complicated by de...

GE15 During A Pandemic: How Do We Hold Elections Safely?

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 may be endemic, but that does not mean it’s harmless nor that the pandemic is over. As we gear up towards nomination day on 5th November an...

Ask A Psychologist: Caregiver Stress

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With the prevalence of chronic health conditions increasing, there is more to the burden than just what the individuals are going through. Behind the ...

Diabetes and Diet Myths

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, diet becomes a big question mark. What is the right diabetes diet? Is it true that rice and desserts go out t...

NCD Chronicles #4: Stroke Survivors Don’t Want To Be A Burden

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 Stroke is one of the leading causes of deaths in Malaysia, as well as disability among stroke survivors. Because of that, a stroke has consequen...

Doctor in the House: Medical Disabilities and Insurance Claims (Part 1)

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you are involved in an accident, and suffer injuries that result in a disability, your ability to work and carry out daily activities could be affe...

‘You Will Grow Out Of It’ and Other Myths About ADHD

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been increasingly hearing about children being diagnosed with ADHD, it’s not because kids are eating too much sugar or spending too much...

Embracing Menopause #3: Why Vaginal Health is Important For Women in Menopause

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Women in menopause tend to dismiss symptoms related to the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) such as bladder incontinence, vaginal dryness, pa...

Healthy Ageing: How Speech-Language Therapy Helps Older Adults

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When we hear speech therapy, some of us might think that it’s mainly for children with speech disorders, or for stroke survivors to learn how to spe...

Gearing Up For GE15: Make Health A Priority In Your Manifesto

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

19th November will be the day that Malaysians head to the polls for our 15th General Elections. With the impact of COVID-19 still fresh in our minds, ...

Living Positively With Breast Cancer

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A diagnosis of breast cancer still strikes fear in many women’s hearts. But Tham Lai Chee’s story of courage and optimism will lift the hearts of ...

Embracing Menopause #2: Bones Following Menopause

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often associate osteoporosis - when bones become weak and brittle - with ageing, but there’s another facet to osteoporosis that is not discussed ...

Mind Matters: How The Friendship Bench Delivers Mental Health Care

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you’re struggling with serious problems in your life that you can’t cope with, like relationship problems or losing your job. Perhaps you’...

Because Feelings Matter #14: The Wounded Healer

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Ahmed Hankir wears many hats - psychiatrist in the UK National Health Service, survivor of psychological trauma, and author of ‘The Wounded Heale...

Doctor in the House: Investing in Mental Health

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mental health received a visible mention in the recently-tabled Budget 2023, with RM34mil allocated for the establishment of a National Mental Health ...

What Is The World’s Next Pandemic?

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2020, Prof Ken Smith, Head of the Department of Medicine at University of Cambridge, was at the forefront of research in the University’s Jeffrey...

Embracing Menopause #1: Is Menopausal Hormone Therapy Safe?

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For years, the stereotype of women in the menopausal and post-menopausal period was that of ageing women past their prime and productivity. However, t...

Public Health: Unpacking Budget 2023’s Health Allocations

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Health & Living team speaks to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO, Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy, and public health physician Assoc Prof Dr ...

Ask A Psychologist: Touch

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As children, we learn that touch is one of our five physical senses that we use to interact with our environment. But touch also plays an important ro...

Should We Protect Children from Smoking, or Protect Their Right to Smoke?

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill 2022, which includes the hotly-debated Generational End Game proposal, is due to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow...

Major Tom to Ground Control: Understanding How Bones Age

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How is the human skeleton affected by space travel? And why does it matter to the rest of us who may never see the inside of a space shuttle? A recent...

Budget 2023: We Need To Invest in Rare Diseases

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are more than 7,000 types of rare diseases, yet the interest and investment into rare diseases are often limited to a handful of more well-known...

Doctor in the House: First Malaysian as the Head of the International Society of Surgery

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier in the month, the International Society of Surgery - which represents over 3,000 surgeons across the globe - appointed its new president, Dato...

Every Beat Matters

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We take our heart for granted, expecting it to beat continuously and carry out its job of pumping blood without fail. However, age and many medical co...

Budget 2023: How To Budget For Our Ageing Society

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Older people in our society often live with multiple health risks or diseases, but their needs are more than just the sum of their health problems. Ye...

Because Feelings Matter #13: Kak Ngah’s Journey As A Survivor of Suicide Loss

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, this episode of Because Feelings Matter features Alia Ali, a suicide prevention advo...

NCD Chronicles #3: Being On Dialysis Isn’t The End of the Road

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chronic kidney disease  is an NCD that we’ve struggled to tackle for decades. In fact, the burden of chronic kidney disease continues to rise -...

Doctor in the House: The Heart of the Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The burden of cardiovascular diseases is one of the biggest public health challenges we face, and not only affects our healthcare system but our econo...

Preventing Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Child sexual abuse and exploitation has made the headlines again, with recent news reports that child pornography is rife on Malaysian-registered IP a...

Healthy Ageing: Keeping an Eye on Your Vision As You Age

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While anyone can develop vision problems at any age, the majority of people who have vision impairment or even blindness are over the age of 50. But i...

Ask A Doctor: Labour and Childbirth

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, Dr Shilpa Nambiar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, joins us to answer questions about labour and childb...

Mind Matters: Mental Health Needs of Caregivers

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every mental health issue undeniably has an impact on the individual with the struggles, but there is also another burden that is often hidden from si...

Healthcare Heroes #3: Sabah AIDS Awareness Group Association (SAGA)

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make...

Public Health: Will You Use MySejahtera To Pledge Your Organs?

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia’s organ donation rate is among the lowest in the world, with only 2.84 transplant procedures carried out per one million population in 2021...

Are We Ready To Be Unmasked?

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The indoor mask mandate was lifted by the government last week, with masks only deemed necessary in public transport, healthcare settings and care hom...

Ask A Psychologist: Bullying

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan joins our monthly mental health clinic to address your concerns regarding mental, emotional and psyc...

Doctor in the House: Should Suicide Prevention Be Everyone’s Responsibility?

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic was not only that tens of thousands of people in Malaysia died from the disease, or that more than half a million...

Brain Waves: Personalised Medicine and Our Genes

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Personalised medicine tailored to the individual’s health needs is not exactly new, but it’s a field that’s rapidly growing and garnering much a...

Para Athletes: Victories and Injuries

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, para-powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin broke the Games’ record three times and brought home the gold....

Healthcare Heroes #2: REACH Sarawak

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make...

Time to Restart HPV Vaccinations for Girls in Schools

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While we’ve done a lot to catch up with backlogged surgeries and disrupted medical procedures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is another area...

Doctor in the House: Child Marriage Is Also A Public Health Issue

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kedah is now the latest state after Selangor to have banned child marriage, after amending its state laws to raise the minimum age of marriage for gir...

Fighting HIV in Ukraine: “When Others Say No, Civil Society Says Yes”

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In war-torn eastern Ukraine, a non-governmental organisation called the Alliance for Public Health is working to ensure that the fight against HIV and...

Healthcare Heroes #1: ROSE Foundation Removes Obstacles to Cervical Cancer Screening

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make...

NCD Chronicles #2: Asthma Knowledge is a Breath of Fresh Air for Most Patients

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being diagnosed with asthma, but brushing off its significance, is a common narrative you hear among people with the condition. But with a prevalence ...

Doctor in the House: Bullying Does Not Belong In The Workplace

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force released its report last week, which was aimed at reviewing the Ministry of Health’s work culture...

Infants Have Mental Health Needs Too

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

‘Eat, Sleep, Poop…Repeat.’ You’ve probably seen this on a baby’s onesie, and it seems to capture the entirety of an infant’s daily reality...

COVID-19 and The Heart

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve been hearing more about post-COVID problems, ranging from breathing issues to memory and focus problems. Perhaps a little less is known about ...

Mind Matters: Do We Care Enough About Refugees’ Mental Health?

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, there was the shocking incident of the murder-suicide involving a refugee man and his two children, which led to calls for better ...

What You Need To Know About Chest Pains

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all know that chest pains are a possible sign of a heart attack. But what about those niggling pains or uncomfortable symptoms that come and go som...

Doctor in the House: Being A Surgeon in a Conflict Zone

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More than seven years after the civil war began, Yemen is one of the largest humanitarian crises we’re seeing globally. With reports indicating that...

Barbers and Beauty Salons Could Be Cancer Awareness Centres

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Instead of getting health education information from a clinic, how about getting it from your regular barber shop? Or at your beauty salon during your...

Here’s What You Need To Know About Pituitary Tumours

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pituitary gland is called the “master gland” because it controls several other hormone glands in your body. Because of that, a pituitary tumou...

Because Feelings Matter #12: Being Bullied Made Me Feel Excluded And Rejected

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being bullied is a common experience for many children and adolescents, but with its serious impact on mental health, it should not be dismissed as ju...

Public Health: Unmet Need for Rehab in Public Healthcare

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve had a sports injury or some sort of joint pain, you’ve probably had to undergo physiotherapy. If you’re a stroke survivor, rehabilitat...

Doctor in the House: Why Is Malaysia Backsliding In HIV Progress?

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many countries are breathing a sigh of relief for having come through an infectious disease pandemic. However, this is no time to pause - the world ha...

Flu, Coughs And Colds On The Rise?

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a parent, you’re probably exhausted from dealing with yet another case of the sniffles or cough at home. Clinics have been swamped with ...

Healthy Ageing: Are Our Elderly on Too Many Medications?

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For many older adults, having pill organisers filled with a variety of medications and supplements would be a common sight. But while medicines are me...

How Dangerous Are Heatwaves and High Wet-Bulb Temperatures?

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Several countries have experienced record-breaking high temperatures this year: Delhi, India recorded a new high of more than 49°C in May; the UK wen...

Ask A Doctor: Health Checkups

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, Assoc Prof Dr Nik Sherina Hanafi, Primary Care Physician, joins us to answer questions about going for health chec...

Doctor in the House: Should Health Professional Associations Engage in Politics?

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The recent debate surrounding the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill, or more specifically the aspects relating to the generational ban on smoking for t...

How To Support Someone With An Eating Disorder

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eating disorders should never be taken lightly, as it can have serious consequences on the individual’s physical and mental health. But in a world w...

Between The State & Adult Children - Who Cares for the Elderly?

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s no secret that Malaysia’s population is already an ageing one. For years, a Senior Citizens Bill to protect the rights and welfare of older a...

Ask A Psychologist #23: Parenting

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Consultant clinical psychologists Paul Jambunathan and Evelyn Soong join our monthly mental health clinic to address your concerns regarding mental, e...

How Rehabilitation Helps Long COVID Patients

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

By now, we’ve learned that having COVID-19 isn’t just about the toll it takes on your body when you first contract the virus, but the lingering sy...

Monkeypox Is A Global Emergency, But What About the Stigma?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After weeks of deliberation since the end of June, the World Health Organisation declared that monkeypox is a public health emergency of international...