Harm reduction plans successful

New Straits Times

PUBLIC health policies that the government put in place seven years ago to assist those who inject drugs are found to avert new HIV infections, save lives and reduce health care costs, according to a new study funded by the World Bank.

In 2006, Malaysia launched two programmes of “harm reduction” interventions, initially on a limited scale — the Needle & Syringe Programme, where those who inject drugs are offered clean needles and syringes, and Methadone Maintenance Therapy, offering heroin addicts enrolment in rehabilitation therapy where heroin is replaced with synthetic methadone.

These harm reduction programmes have succeeded, and Malaysia has now expanded them nationwide.

“We would like to congratulate the Malaysian Government for taking the lead in implementing these cost-effective and cost-saving harm reduction interventions targeting people who inject drugs,” said Ulrich Zachau, World Bank country director for Malaysia.  “We hope this study will inspire policymakers in other countries in the Asia-Pacific region that face similar HIV epidemics among people who inject drugs.”

According to new research, both harm reduction programmes have also been cost-effective. The new research was led by the Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS at the University of Malaya, in collaboration with the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales.

Such interventions are estimated to avert 23,241 new HIV infections as well as result in savings of RM210 million in direct health care costs. The study estimated that 12,653 HIV infections were successfully averted since 2006 with the implementation of both  programmes, targeting people who inject drugs.

These averted infections have resulted in savings of RM47.1 million in direct health care costs, which the government would have had to spend on treatment and monitoring.

Foreign workers blamed for rise in TB cases

The Star Online.

LABUAN: The influx of foreign workers is among the major reasons for the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the country.

Based on statistics, about 18,000 cases were reported in 2010, rising to 20,000 in 2011 with 1,600 fatalities.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya said efforts to monitor the spread of the disease had been enhanced with foreign workers being required to undergo mandatory health screenings.

He said that out of 30,000 foreign workers brought into the country, 20,000 had failed the health screening carried out by the ministry.  

Datuk Dr Hilmi Yahaya 

"Foreign workers wishing to work in this country must undergo two health screenings, one in the country of their origin and the other in Malaysia, before they are issued with a working visa," he told reporters after a one-day working visit to Labuan Sunday.

Dr Hilmi also said there were foreign workers who had passed the health screening carried out at home but failed the test here. Most of these workers were from Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and the Philippines. 

He said foreign workers who failed the health screening here would be repatriated home. -Bernama

Health Ministry bans Taiwan-made pimple cream

The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has banned cosmetic product 'Sensual Meiji Skin Renewer Cream' which was found to contain the scheduled poison azelaic acid.

Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Datuk Eisah A. Rahman, said the Taiwan-made product had been tested and contained the prohibited poison and was no longer allowed to be sold in Malaysia.

She said the product, which contained azelaic acid, must be registered with the ministry's Drug Control Authority aimed at reducing inflammation effects in treating acne vulgaris (pimples) and could only be used upon advice from health professionals.

"It is feared that the application of acid without expert advice from health professionals can produce undesired effects such as the part of the face which was exposed to the acid feeling burnt, itchy, turning red, and becoming flaky," she said.

She said the company responsible for notifying the product had been directed to stop the immediate sale or supply of the product and to withdraw all stocks of physical products from the market within 72 hours.

Consumers suffering any side effects or serious problems from using any cosmetic product are advised to contact the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau at telephone numbers 03-8835532/5533/5537. - Bernama

Denggi deaths up by 151%

The Star Online

PUTRAJAYA: Dengue fever killed 88 victims up to Dec 21, an increase of 151 per cent from the 35 cases during the same period last year.

Except for Terengganu and the Federal Territory of Labuan, the other states had reported fatalities with Selangor reporting the highest figure of 24 fatal cases, followed by Johor with 21 fatalities.

As for the other states, Malacca had nine fatalities; followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (8); Penang (7); Perak, Sarawak and Sabah (four each), Kelantan and Pahang (two each); while Perlis, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan had one death each.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the rise in dengue cases had been significant in 12 states compared with last year, which included Malacca with 229 per cent; Johor (191 per cent); Selangor (152 per cent); Negeri Sembilan (100 per cent); Perak (42 per cent), Labuan (40 per cent); Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (39 per cent); Penang (31 per cent); and Perlis (30 per cent). 

He said a total of 41,226 cases were reported up to Dec 21 throughout the country, a jump of 92 per cent or 19,782 cases, compared with the 21,444 cases reported during the same period of last year. - Bernama

Penang wants Putrajaya to decentralise healthcare systems

The Malay Mail Online

Dr Afif said he can foresee the current system of placing all healthcare systems under Putrajaya’s full control continue on to the next millennia that will result in less efficiency in the distribution of healthcare services throughout the states. — Picture by K.E.OoiGEORGE TOWN, Dec 17 — The healthcare systems in the country should be decentralised for better efficiency, said Penang Health state executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin.

He said currently, everything related to health is fully under the control of Putrajaya, which leaves the states powerless when there are insufficient healthcare services.

“We need to decentralise the healthcare systems and empower respective state governments so that there will be better distribution of health services to the people,” he said in a press conference in Komtar this morning.

He added that he can foresee the current system of placing all healthcare systems under Putrajaya’s full control to continue on to the next millennia, resulting in less efficiency in distribution of healthcare services statewide.

Referring to the recent announcement by Deputy Health director-general Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran that the Health Ministry had stopped issuing licences for new dialysis centres, he said this is another centralised move that will only make it difficult for the state to set up more dialysis centres for patients with kidney failure.

Penang recently set up its first CAT dialysis centre in Balik Pulau here to meet the need for more of such centres due to a long waiting list at government hospitals.

A second CAT dialysis centre, located at Seberang Jaya, is now in the process of being set up.

Dr Afif said the move to stop issuing new licences for dialysis centres will negatively affect the patients who have no where else to go especially if they could not afford to go to private dialysis centres.

“We need more dialysis centres, especially in rural areas, to meet the needs of patients in rural areas who could not afford private healthcare,” he said.

He acknowledged the ministry’s concerns that there are dialysis centres that do not meet specifications and are operating illegally.

“Instead of freezing the issuance of licences, the ministry should impose tighter regulations and conduct aggressive enforcement against unlicensed dialysis centres,” he said.

Dr Jeyaindran had revealed that there are now 560 haemodialysis centres nationwide run by non-governmental organisations and private firms but only 326 have licences from the ministry.

Environment, Welfare and Caring Society state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh said there is a reason why there are so many dialysis centres nationwide.

“The ministry had failed in healthcare and health education which led to the increase in the number of patients with kidney failure from 1,204 patients in 1993 to 26,404 patients in 2012,” he said

“All these dialysis centres exist because there is a demand and need that the ministry had failed to meet,” he added.

Phee said it takes a centre about three years to get a licence and some of these centres may not fulfil technical requirements, not medical requirements, so they were not issued licences.

“Does this mean the patient have to wait for three years to get dialysis treatment?” he asked.

He said the ministry had taken a very drastic move to impose a blanket freeze on all centres due to a few isolated cases of contamination.

“This is very irresponsible as not all dialysis centres do not fulfil medical requirements but were not issued licences due to technicalities,” he said.

Yesterday, Dr Jeyaindran had said new licences for dialysis centres will not be issued while existing centres that do not meet requirements will be closed down.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/penang-wants-putrajaya-to-decentralise-healthcare-systems#sthash.UZDOkekZ.dpuf

Health ministry to set up disaster response squads

BorneoPost Online

KEMAMAN: The Health Ministry will set up special disaster response squads made up of medical personnel who will be equipped with skills to deal with disasters.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said members of the squads would undergo training provided by relevant agencies to prepare them for disaster relief missions.

“The medical personnel involved will not only be provided with medical training, but also safety training such as rescuing flood victims,” he told reporters after visiting the Kemaman Health Office here yesterday.

He said the squads, which would be placed in several disaster-prone areas, would also be assisted by other medical personnel during disasters.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry had not receive any reports on outbreak of diseases in flood-hit states in the East Coast.

Subramaniam said the ministry was also bracing for the second waves of floods predicted to hit the East Coast. — Bernama

More Die from Dengue in Malaysia As Cases Spike

WSJ

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—At least five people have died from dengue fever this month in Malaysia, where authorities are struggling to contain an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus that claims hundreds of lives annually in Southeast Asia.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

A municipal council worker dispensing insecticide using a fogging machine among residential houses in Gombak, on the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 5.

The total number of dengue deaths for the year now stands at 79, more than double the 34 deaths recorded in 2012.  Cases of the virus have also spiked, with 37,698 dengue cases reported as of Dec. 7, an 85% increase from the 20,387 cases reported in the same period a year earlier, according to data from Malaysia’s Health Ministry.

Selangor state, which borders the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, has been hit the hardest, with 20,209 cases reported and 19 deaths, the Ministry said. The southern state of Johor, just across the Johor strait from Singapore, has recorded 4,421 cases.

Four of those who died recently were college students, Lokman Hakim, deputy director general at Malaysia’s Ministry of Health, said in a statement.

The virus, which is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, causes severe fever, headaches, rashes and muscle and joint pain. Severe forms can cause hemorrhagic fever. No vaccine is currently available, and treatment is limited to intravenous rehydration.

In Selangor, the government has identified 69 hotspots where pools of stagnant water serve as breeding sites for the Aedes mosquitoes.

To keep the mosquito population in check, Malaysia’s Health Ministry is searching thousands of premises around the country to identify potential breeding grounds and is urging the public to drain stagnant water from around their houses. It has also pressed non-profit organizations to boost efforts to educate the public about keeping their premises clean and mosquito free.

On November 12 the authorities searched 14,092 premises, identified 111 areas as breeding grounds and fined residents whose premises had stale pools containing Aedes’s larve with penalties totaling 55,500 Malaysian ringgit ($17,156).

According to law, people found to have breeding grounds on their property can be fined a minimum of 500 ringgit. Those who fail to pay could be fined as much as 10,000 ringgit, face up to two years in jail, or both for a first offense.  Repeat offenders can be fined five times as much or face five years imprisonment.

Government health workers routinely conduct checks at construction sites, where tiny pools of water often gather, and are fumigating schools and other public places. Mr. Lokman also urged citizens of states that recently experienced seasonal flooding to swiftly drain stagnant water that could host Aedes mosquitoes.

Neighboring Singapore has also been struggling to contain a dengue outbreak, with seven deaths and 21,324 cases of the virus reported as of Dec. 13, according data from Singapore’s National Environment Agency.

Ministry says no to new dialysis centres

The Star Online

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has stopped issuing new licences for dialysis centres and will close down existing ones that do not meet requirements and endanger patients’ safety.

There are now 560 haemodialysis centres nationwide run by NGOs and private firms but only 326 have licences from the ministry.

Deputy Health director-general Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran said the centres that failed to meet standards would be closed down in stages after being given enough time for compliance.

The ministry would also find suitable alternative centres to relocate patients.

“Two haemodialysis centres, one in Kuala Lumpur and the other in Penang, were closed down recently,” he said.

Health woes: A patient receiving haemodialysis treatment at the CAT Dialysis Centre in Balik Pulau, Penang. 

Out of the 234 unlicensed centres, 114 had structural problems, were run without proper policies and did not submit applications for approval.

The issuance of licences to 80 centres was deferred because the operators did not comply with requirements as promised while another 40 centres did not have trained staff.

The pinching of staff also meant that some centres, whose employees had left, were unable to meet the requirements.

Operating licences of haemodialysis centres are renewable every two years, subject to meeting the ministry’s criteria.

Last month, The Star highlighted the plight of haemodialysis patients whose approvals for a government subsidy of RM600 per month were delayed.

An estimated 5,000 new kidney patients were diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure each year over the last three years. About half the patients going to NGO-run centres need treatment subsidy from the Government.

Dr Jeyaindran said the ministry had given out almost RM45mil (RM2mil in subsidy for dialysis and RM21mil in subsidy for erythropoietin injections each year), not including aid given by other government agencies.

Erythropoietin is a hormone produced by the kidneys and controls red blood cell production.

Click on graphic for larger view. 

He said the ministry was looking for companies to donate dialysis machines to ensure that the lower income group also received haemodialysis treatment with patient safety adhered to, as done by Maybank and Tabung Haji.

“We have the capacity for 1,700 dialysis slots but we only have 1,500 machines and need 200 more,” he said.

He said sponsorship from non-government entities was in keeping with the Prime Minister’s call for a public-private partnership, which encouraged optimum utilisation of resources.

On the training of renal staff, he said the ministry and the Malaysian Society of Nephrology had started a 200-hour programme on dialysis management for 60 doctors and also increased the number of renal nurses being trained.

There will be three more programmes to ensure an adequate number of trained doctors and nurses by the end of next year.

Ministry’s TV on healthy lifestyle to go on air in 2015

The Malay Mail Online

BALIK PULAU, Dec 15 — The Health Ministry’s television channel to raise awareness among the people on a healthy lifestyle is expected to go on air in 2015.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the contents would include dramas, bulletins and talk shows on health to send the people the message in an interactive manner.

“We have MedikTV now but its broadcast is restricted to hospitals. We propose to have an open health channel free for all the people to watch,” he told reporters after launching a cooperatives carnival and a health campaign for his Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency, here.

Hilmi said a special committee would be formed to make an in-depth study of the programmes suitable for the health channel to make it an effective disseminator of information.

He also said that the ministry was monitoring the online advertisements on slimming and beauty products which did not meet the specified standards.

 “Sometimes, the companies send samples for the ministry’s approval but sell other products to their customers,” he said, adding that the ministry was focusing more on this aspect of the problem.

Hilmi advised the people not to be influenced into buying slimming pills which promise fast results as they could contain more than the permissible level of steroids that could raise blood pressure and the pulse rate and lead to muscle cramps.

“Consumers should ensure that every product they buy has the holographic logo certified by the ministry. They should lodge a report if they had doubts about a product,” he said. — Bernama

No reports of outbreak of infectious diseases due to floods

The Malay Mail Online

MELAKA, Dec 8 — There have been no reports of outbreak of infectious diseases due to the floods that hit Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Johor since last week.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said district health office staff had visited the evacuation centres to monitor the health of flood victims.

“It is the ministry’s standard operating procedure to visit and monitor the health of flood victims at evacuation centres and give advice such as diet and medication,” he told reporters after opening Melaka Healthy Living Carnival organised by World Youth Foundation (WYF) here today.

Also present was WYF chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

The ministry will work with social institutions such as Kemas and Rukun Tetangga to enhance the awareness and health watch at the grassroots level.

Subramaniam said 17,000 Kemas officers would be trained on aspects including nutrition and health checks so that they could share them with the society.

“The first batch of 200 to 300 Kemas officers will be trained starting next month. I want the health training module to be implemented immediately.”

Some two million people will be given advice and health monitoring to achieve the objectives of healthy living, besides identifying and preventing dangerous diseases. — Bernama

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/no-reports-of-outbreak-of-infectious-diseases-due-to-floods#sthash.6IezvAZU.dpuf

Volunteer doctors brave floods to help victims in hard-to-reach areas

The Star Online

PETALING JAYA: A group of volunteer doctors are urgently calling for assistance in their efforts to bring medical aid to flood-hit victims in Pahang.

"Currently, we are in immediate need of more medicine, supplies and financial donations. We also would like to convey the message to any medical practitioners out there who are interested in joining us," said Dr S. Dhesi Baha Raja, Malaysian Integrated Medical Professionals Association (Mimpa) president.

The NGO comprises 25 doctors and specialists working in collaboration with aviation and pharmaceutical companies to provide medical assistance to individuals unable to reach medical centres.

"Mimpa goes into places inaccessible by road to reach patients who cannot travel. We are especially concerned about the plight of pregnant mothers, children and the elderly," said Dhesi.

Affiliates Sabah Air, Sazma Aviation and Mycopter aviation services have agreed to provide free helicopter services while companies Uzma, CCM and Deltaz are sponsoring much-needed medical supplies.

Mimpa has sent aid to Pahang, but is monitoring the situation in Terengganu.

As of now, about 40,000  people require medical assistance in Pahang, and Mimpa are covering 15,000 to 20,000 patients, said Dhesi.

All partner companies have also agreed to work in collaboration with MIMPA in the event of any future natural disasters.

"Our NGO focuses on the plight of Malaysians and to help them with medical situations.

"Any assistance to our current and future projects is most welcome," said Dhesi. 

Financial assistance can be contributed to via the Malaysian Integrated Medical Professionals Association's account (Public Bank 3184-749-115).
To donate medicine, food, blankets, clothes and other daily necessities, please contact themimpa@gmail.com.
Doctors, nurses and medical assistants who wish to extend their services are also welcome.

Help for diabetics to prevent complications

The Star Online

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry will soon kickstart a programme to educate diabetics about their condition to prevent the onset of complications.

Health deputy director-general Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran said awareness on the complications such as kidney failure, blindness or limb amputation was still low.

“The main reason why many Malaysians suffer from those complications is the lack of awareness on the need to control the disease,” he said during the 2013 Diabetes and Management Workshop yesterday.

Dr Jeyaindran said the team of educators would include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians and pharmacists who would send out the same message to patients so they would get the message “loud and clear”.

“Patients need to be educated early on that diabetes is a slow killer,” he said.

He said diabetes cases were increasing at an alarming rate at 11% of the population in 2005 to 15% in 2011 and were likely to be one in four in the near future.

Dr Jeyaindran said the ministry was also working with the Community Development Depart­ment under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to educate some 500,000 women on providing healthy food for their families.

Asked about a study by a Malaysian endocrinologist in Newcastle University who managed to get patients’ blood sugar levels back to normal through a diet of 600 calories per day for two months, Dr Jeyaindran advised caution.

He said the amount would not provide adequate energy for the day as people needed 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day. The diet, over a long term, could lead to starvation and even coma.

Dr Jeyaindran said that those at the pre-diabetic stage could control their condition through diet but once the disease was full blown, it would require diet, medicine and exercise.