Picture state of your organ

NST: Dr Rahmat Omar tells ANNIE FREEDA CRUEZ how his interest in photography became an important tool in his profession as an ear, nose and throat/head and neck surgeon, leading to a collection of more than 10,000 images, including those of rare conditions
Dr Rahmat Omar capturing a growth in a patient’s ear using his modified digital camera. Endoscopic images give ENT specialists a clearer picture of the formation of these structures in the body.
HIS interest in photography was piqued when Dr Rahmat Omar was doing the final year of his Master’s in otolaryngology — the study of the anatomy, function, and diseases of the ear, nose, and throat — at Universiti Malaya.
"I got myself a digital camera and started toying with it to familiarise myself with its use," said Dr Rahmat.
During his free time, he took pictures of anything that came his way, and once he had mastered the electronic device, he began using it in his work.
Dr Rahmat said he began to think of endoscopic images, pictures of the inside of a body taken using a lens at the end of an optic tube, in 2001.
"I wanted to use it to detect what was inside the ear, nose and throat of my patients. But I knew it couldn’t be done without some modifications to my camera."
With the help of a laboratory technologist, he managed to find the tools needed — an adaptor ring for the camera and a suitable endoscope and the necessary optics.
"I paid for the equipment because I was serious about having images of what I saw inside my patients."
While most doctors walk around with a stethoscope, Dr Rahmat is always totting a digital camera.
"I always get my patients’ approval before taking pictures inside the ear, nose or throat. Sometimes I give them the photographs."
He has built up a library of about 10,000 images taken all over the region. Some of them are of rare conditions.
Five have already been published in the professional journal ENT, and another 10 are awaiting publication.
Dr Rahmat has also spent RM15,000 on equipment to improve processing of the pictures and document them for study and educational purposes.
Not only do endoscopic images give ENT specialists a clearer picture of the formation of these structures in the body, they also help surgeons to better plan their operations.
Dr Rahmat dreams of having his own website where he can display his images and video clips — a huge undertaking for someone with his busy schedule.
He said he was looking for a website developer to help him set up a homepage.
Dr Rahmat says that his wife, who works at the UM Molecular Microbiology Medicine Department, has been an invaluable support throughout his career.
Dr Rahmat hopes his interest and passion would be emulated by other ENT specialists.

More than music to the ears, now it also heals

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: After a stressful day at the office, all you want to do is put on some soothing music and relax.
And this, apparently, is not mere indulgence but has actual benefits on your health.
Music therapy (MT) is an increasingly popular alternative treatment and it is being actively researched and practised worldwide.
It is, in fact, an established form of treatment that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages.
Music therapy improves the quality of life for those who are well, and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses.
It helps to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication and promote physical rehabilitation.
MT is well-suited for very young children as it stimulates the brain when it is still malleable. It also works for those coping with autism-spectrum challenges, language difficulties, anxiety, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar, and those needing to build social skills and or facing challenges with schoolwork.
The therapy revolves around the fusing of music or sound to deliver specific refined tones or frequencies which relate to the physiology of the human body.
"The science of adapting tones to physiology is an art," said Dr T. Mythily, a renowned classical vocalist and music therapist, who is also a cognitive neuro-psychologist and music therapist at the Apollo Hospital in Chennai, India.
She heads the Prahlab Music Therapy wing, which is the only research and treatment facility of its kind in Asia.
MT is one of the oldest known treatments, dating back 5,000 years, and it originates from India.
Its practice had been quoted in epics such as the Mahabaratha and the Bagavad Gita.
According to these epics, a pregnant mother was treated by Lord Narayanna, where it was found that the foetus became more active when the veenai (Indian classical instrument) was played.
The learning ability and physical development of the child were greater than that of other children at the time.
Research shows that when we listen to music, our minds relate to various stimulus in known patterns and produce a result or conclusion through our behaviour.
The frequencies and vibrations react to the nervous system producing a given goal, for example, calmness in stressful situations.
MT is used in paediatrics, gynaecology, cardiac and neurological fields.
Among others, it has been found to be successful in treating hyperactivity, enhancing speech fluency, overcoming learning disability and ensuring motor skills development in children.
In research conducted by Dr Mythily, music was played to 84 foetuses in their mothers’ wombs.
It was found that there was increased activity, and more movement could be felt.
The mothers, too, experienced an easier delivery and the child later showed enhanced learning ability and faster development of motor skills compared with a child who was not exposed to MT.
In other research conducted on workers at the Reserve Bank of India who complained of high stress levels, MT was found to be successful in reducing blood pressure readings over a period of three months.
Many researchers are excited over the possibility of using MT as a holistic approach to treatment with no side-effects. The therapy is administered over a course of 10 to 40 minutes, two to three times daily, depending on the ailment.
Malaysian MT practitioner Shoba Ramanathan, who operates a private clinic in Petaling Jaya, said there had been a marked increase in the number of patients seeking MT as treatment.
The number of cases had risen from five cases a week in 2001 to 30 a week this year, she said.
"I specialise in using MT to treat children with special needs, for example those who are hyperactive or have cerebral palsy or Down’s syndrome."
An assessment is made of the child before a treatment programme is drawn up. Specific goals are measured over a period of three months and the duration of each treatment session is 45 minutes.
Shoba said there had been measurable improvement in the children’s motor skills and basic physical and mental keeness, which could be transferred into real-life capabilities.
They also learned better in school, were calmer and able to communicate effectively.
Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin said the use of MT as a form of treatment was "not unacceptable".
Dr Edward Chan from the Malaysian Psychology Centre, meanwhile, said MT was an alternative and complementary treatment used for children with difficulties. He said there had been cases where the vocal capabilities of the children improved with MT.
However, the use of MT, Dr Chan said, was still in its infancy here.

Health officials inspect illegal abortion ‘dens’

NST: YONG PENG: Officers from the Health Ministry, on a check of premises carrying out illegal abortions, inspected a clinic and a shop along Jalan Yong Peng-Air Hitam yesterday.
The seven-member team from the ministry’s Medical Practice Division based in Putrajaya, was led by its director Dr Mohamed Khairi Yakub.
"Illegal abortion is a serious offence and we are launching an immediate investigation into the case," Dr Khairi said yesterday.
The clinic was being investigated under the Medical Act 1971 and Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 to see if it had registered the practice, he added.
"We are also investigating if the medical practitioner employed by the clinic has been performing illegal abortions at a shop lot about two blocks away."
A four-member team from the state Health Department Medical Practice Control Unit (Ukap), based in Johor Baru, was also present during the inspection.
Dr Khairi urged those with information on illegal abortions and other unlawful medical practices to contact Ukap assistant director Dr Haslina Zamani at 07-2245188 or the Putrajaya office at 03-88831039.
The investigation was launched after the New Straits Times reported on Friday that a shop, sandwiched between a car accessory outlet and a workshop within a row of two-storey shop houses along Jalan Yong Peng-Air Hitam, contained a makeshift surgery room for illegal abortions conducted by a doctor employed at a clinic located about two blocks away.

Researchers produce Viagra alternative from walnuts

Star: PETALING JAYA: It may sound nutty, but walnuts may just be the remedy for erectile dysfunction.
Developed by a team of researchers at Universiti Malaya (UM) for the past two years, a tablet containing walnut extract has shown potential as a local alternative to Viagra.
One of the researchers, UM Faculty of Medicine Physiology Department lecturer Prof Dr Kim Kah Hwi, said that so far 40 volunteers had tried the tablet and responded positively.
On its efficacy, Prof Kim said the new pill was comparable to Viagra and he claimed that it was safer as well, although a person would have to consume about 3.3kg of walnuts for the same effect as one tablet.
“It takes about an hour for the effects to set in and it will last for about four hours.
“Furthermore, because it is not a drug, it is safe for those with hypertension or diabetes, or (those) who have recently had heart bypasses,” he said, adding that some of the volunteers had undergone bypass surgeries.
Prof Kim said the active ingredient was arginine, an amino acid that is absorbed into the body and converted into nitric oxide.
“This enlarges blood vessels and enhances blood flow to the penis,” he said, adding that the walnuts were sourced from China because they were cheaper there.
As to how he ventured into exploring walnuts to treat erectile dysfunction, he said it all began with something he read.
“I read articles about Romans and French having eaten walnuts for this purpose. I thought if it had been documented that long ago, then there surely has to be something there,” he said.
Prof Kim said his team then spent two years to find the correct extraction method.
The tablet, called “N-Hanz”, also bagged the gold medal for best invention at the recent International Invention, Innovation, Industrial Design and Technology Exhibition 2007.
Prof Kim said that the tablet had been approved by the Health Ministry.

‘Illegal abortion’ probe under way

NST: YONG PENG: State Health Department officers were sent here to investigate claims of a makeshift surgery room in a shoplot in Jalan Yong Peng-Air Hitam yesterday.
They found the premises, allegedly the site of illegally performed abortions, closed.
Also closed was a clinic two blocks away which employs the doctor who allegedly performs the illegal abortions.
It is understood that the clinic had opened for business as usual at 8am but was closed three hours later.
The officers, from the department’s Medical Practice Control Unit based in Johor Baru, arrived at 11.30am and found a notice pasted on the clinic’s aluminium grille stating that it would reopen on Monday.
"We are investigating the allegations and will submit the report to the Health Ministry for immediate action," said a department spokesman.
The clinic, which offers X-ray services and claims to be a panel clinic for Fomema Sdn Bhd, has been operating for more than five years.
(Fomema is a company tasked with screening the health of foreign workers.)
The clinic is also being investigated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
Yesterday, the New Straits Times reported that a shoplot sandwiched between a car accessory outlet and a workshop in a row of two-storey shop houses along Jalan Yong Peng-Air Hitam, contained a makeshift surgery room for illegal abortions done by a general medical practitioner.
Under the Penal Code, medical practitioners registered under the Medical Act 1971 are allowed to give an opinion in good faith to terminate a woman’s pregnancy. Otherwise, the abortion is deemed illegal.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Medical Association ethics committee chairman Dr Ravindran Jegasothy said a pregnant woman must give her consent to a doctor before she could undergo an abortion.
"Illegal abortions are usually carried out by non-medical practitioners under unsafe conditions and, therefore, puts a woman’s life at risk.
"Abortion is an issue debated in every country on moral and religious grounds.
"Some countries have banned abortion, some are more liberal, while Malaysia takes the middle approach on the issue by granting a law to allow medical practitioners to perform abortions under certain conditions," he said.
Dr Ravindran said restrictive laws could cause women to opt for unsafe and dangerous abortion methods performed by untrained abortionists.
"There are many issues such as rape, incest and medical conditions which would lead a woman to come to the difficult decision to terminate her pregnancy. It is best to consult a doctor and get counseling before going for abortion," he said.

‘Open secret’ abortions

NST: YONG PENG: A young woman walks into the plain, blue shoplot which could have passed for just another vacant unit in town.Not long after, she staggers out — pale and wearing a sarong.
Those in the know would nudge each other — another unwanted pregnancy has been illegally terminated.
The abortion "clinic", as it is whispered among locals, is sandwiched between a car accessory outlet and a workshop, within a row of nondescript, two-storey shophouses in the middle of town.
Located along Jalan Yong Peng-Air Hitam in Johor, the clinic has been operating for years and although it has no signboards, desperate women like Suraya (all names have been changed) have no difficulty locating the place.
Suraya, who held two jobs, had decided not to continue with her eight-week pregnancy, as she was having financial problems and going through a bad patch with her husband.
She had asked around and a friend told her about the clinic. She also found out that the general practitioner who ran the place had another clinic some blocks away.
Desperate, Suraya paid RM200 as a non-refundable deposit and confirmed her appointment for the next day. She was told that the procedure would cost her RM400 in total.
Suraya had expected it to be quick, painless and safe. However, as it turned out, the experience left her physically and emotionally scarred.
She had been told to take two white pills two hours before the procedure.
She then turned up at the doctor’s clinic at 8am with a friend, Latipah, who was to take her home after the abortion.
Suraya paid the doctor the remaining RM200. The doctor then took them to the shoplot. Latipah then left, after telling Suraya to telephone her when the procedure was over.
The shoplot had a presentable reception area with marble flooring and wood panelling on the walls.
The "operation theatre", however, was a different story.
It was a makeshift surgery room with an old operating table, a stretcher, minimal medical equipmentand no proper lighting, except for standard fluorescent lights.
The doctor was assisted, not by a nurse, but a cleaning woman.
"Once inside the room, the doctor asked me to lie down on the operating table. She then secured my legs with a pair of stirrups and injected a clear liquid into the veins on the back of my hand.
"I heard her telling her assistant that the dosage was not working. I realised then that the clear liquid was an anaesthetic to block the pain.
"Since the anaesthetic did not work, I was alert and could feel the pain throughout the procedure.
"I saw her inserting a plastic tube, like a thin long straw, into me.
"I felt something jabbing and scraping my insides. It felt as if bits of my body were being drained into a vacuum tank.
"I gritted my teeth and desperately tried to block out the excruciating pain, which made me feel like a limb was being torn off my body.
"It was over in about 15 minutes but I was so weak, I could not even lift my legs off the stirrups or hoist myself off the operating table. The doctor and the cleaning lady had to lift me onto the stretcher. They asked me to rest. Then the doctor disappeared, leaving me with her helper.
"I rested for about 20 minutes and asked to go to the toilet. The toilet was filthy. I then telephoned Latipah to come and take me home," said Suraya, shuddering at the memory.
Latipah said that when she turned up at the abortion clinic, she saw a trembling Suraya staggering out of the operating room, unaided.
"She was pale and trembling. I was afraid that she might faint."
Suraya was in pain for several days, but, thankfully, she did not bleed after the operation. Nevertheless, she was traumatised by the whole procedure.
"It was a stupid thing to do. I regretted doing it," she said softly.
Meanwhile, a worker in a shop near the abortion clinic, who wanted to be known as only Ayuni, said she would often see pale women staggering out of the shoplot about 9.30am.
When asked why no one had lodged a report, Ayuni said the locals preferred not to get involved.
"The abortion clinic is an open secret. Let the authorities do their job."

RM15m goes up in smoke daily

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The poison stick is drawing millions of Malaysians into spending more than RM15 million daily.
Despite an aggressive campaign by the government to say "tak nak" to cigarettes, Malaysians are smoking 30 million sticks a day, which adds up to a staggering RM6 billion going up in smoke a year.
According to the Malaysian Medical Association’s committee on Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) which looked at the smoking habits of the average Malaysian, 50 per cent of more than 3.5 million smokers nationwide smoked nearly 10 sticks a day.
If the remaining 50 per cent smoked five cigarettes a day, this would amount to a grand total of nearly 11 million cigarettes a day.
ASH chairman Prof Dr Lekhraj Rampal is concerned that many of the smokers were between 15 and 25 years old.
"Tobacco is hazardous to health. There are about 4,000 known chemicals in tobacco smoke, with more than 50 of them likely to cause cancer," he said.
Many Malaysians were dying of diseases related to smoking at a productive age, he added.
"But what is even more serious is the fact that thousands of young people who have never smoked are also dying due to diseases arising out of second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS)."
The World Health Organisation estimates that around 700 million children or almost half of the world’s children breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke, particularly at home.
Speaking to the media in conjunction with "World No Tobacco Day", Dr Rampal said the majority of male smokers in the country were Malays, followed by Chinese and Indians.
As for women, Chinese topped the list with Malays and Indians behind them.
Dr Rampal said ASH would propose that the government increased the tobacco tax by 30 per cent in the 2008 Budget.
"The high price will discourage schoolchildren, college students and the poor from smoking, and the money the government gets from the taxes can be used for those who want to quit smoking and for ‘No Smoking’ campaigns and programmes."
He said high taxes would also stop the tobacco price war.
"The government should strictly enforce the ban on advertisements and promotions by cigarette companies at restaurants.
"We, in fact, want cigarettes to be sold ‘under the counter’ rather than being displayed prominently at the back of counters in shops and restaurants," he added.
On this year’s theme of "100 per cent smoke-free environment as the only effective way to protect people everywhere from exposure to SHS", Dr Rampal said the government should ban smoking in all work and public places.
"The WHO has signalled an urgent need for countries to make all indoor and public places 100 per cent smoke-free as a smoke-free environment is the only proven way to adequately protect the health from the effects of second-hand tobacco smoke."
In March 2004, Ireland became the first nation in the world to create and enjoy smoke-free indoor workplaces and public places, including restaurants and pubs.
Within three months, Norway’s smoke-free legislation came into force.
Since then, their examples have been followed by countries such as New Zealand, Italy and Uruguay.
Dr Rampal said Malaysia had progressed in terms of smoke-free policies in hospitals, schools, government departments, air-conditioned restaurants and several private sector work places, including the electronic and print media companies.

Ministry: Assunta not at fault

Star: PETALING JAYA: Assunta Hospital fulfilled its legal obligation of providing emergency treatment to Yek Yow Ngan, who died in a car accident after being allegedly pursued by a gang of armed men.
In a statement here yesterday, the Health Ministry's medical practice division said facts showed that the hospital had taken all necessary steps in arranging proper transfer and referral of the patient to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).
The division conducted an investigation following allegations that it refused to provide emergency treatment to Yek unless a deposit was paid.
Division director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub met up with the hospital management and interviewed the attending medical officer and the two staff nurses on duty at that time.
Yek's son Yeong Hon had claimed that Assunta Hospital had demanded a RM10,000 deposit from him before his mother could be treated.
However, the statement said Yeong Hon was informed by hospital of the cost of further treatment only after emergency treatment was rendered.
“The patient, who was in critical condition, was brought in by her son at about 4.10am to 5am on Sunday and was immediately resuscitated by the medical officer and his staff,” the statement said.
It said the patient was revived at about 5am and her condition was stabilised before she was sent for a CT scan and chest X-rays to determine any internal injury.
The medical officer then decided that the patient needed further intensive treatment and had to be monitored at the intensive care unit.
The hospital then informed Yeong Hon of the cost of further treatment.
“However, the hospital was told that the patient's son could not afford the cost and was requested to transfer the patient to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre or HKL,” the statement said.
The medical officer then made the necessary arrangements by paging the two hospitals.
At 5.45am, the patient was transferred by ambulance, accompanied by Yeong Hon, a medical officer and a staff nurse.
On Wednesday, Yeong Hon called for justice and hoped that truth behind Yek's death would be revealed.

Plans for dialysis units in rural clinics

Star: PANGKOR: The Health Ministry will set up haemodialysis units in rural clinics where there is an extensive demand for such treatment.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said, however, that the units would only be set up if the clinics were located close to district or state hospitals with high numbers of kidney patients.
“This is because before a kidney patient is sent for haemodialysis treatment, he or she has to first receive authorisation from the hospital’s specialist,” he said after opening the Pulau Pangkor Health Clinic haemodialysis unit yesterday.
The unit, operational since Jan 23 last year, is the first in the country to be run by a clinic instead of a district or state hospital.
If proven successful, he said future units would be based on the Pangkor model.
“For every one million Malaysians, 100 suffer from kidney problems, which is the highest in the world,” Dr Chua said.
“In fact, we estimate the 15,000 patients we have now will exceed 20,000 by 2010.”
He added that the Government had spent more than RM20mil last year to help those seeking haemodialysis treatments.
“We subsidised RM50 for each treatment sought by patients at the haemodialysis centres run by NGOs and given direct grants in the form of dialysis machines to qualified NGOs,” Dr Chua said.
He added that his ministry would be seeking more funds for this purpose.
On another matter, he said his ministry had approved RM100,000 to upgrade medical equipment onboard the island’s only ferry ambulance here.
“This will go towards a special bed which will also enable pregnant women to give birth onboard, an oxygen tank, trolley and other equipment to handle accident-related emergencies,” he added.
The ferry has been transporting patients from here to Manjung Hospital since 1999.

Media underused in AIDS/HIV fight

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Information on AIDS and HIV must spread faster than the disease.
This was the conclusion of the 100-odd delegates who attended the Asia Media Summit 2007 here during the discussion on global media strategies on AIDS and HIV.
The delegates said the media was under-utilised when it came to spreading awareness on the disease.
They also said the issue was not covered in a continuous basis.
Among the speakers at the discussion session on Monday was South African Broadcasting Corporation chief executive officer Advocate Dali Mpofu, who said the lack of knowledge, stigmatisation and discrimination on the disease made it even more difficult for AIDS patients to face the world.
“While the media is a powerful tool, it is not doing enough to connect with young people and educate them.
“Many know about AIDS and HIV but exactly how much they know and understand is a completely different matter.
“The media has the responsibility to connect and speak the language of young people for they are the ones most susceptible,” he said.
Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia (ISIS) chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Mohamed Jawhar Hassan cited a recent report of Malaysia’s situation bordering on an HIV epidemic.
Released by the World Health Organisation, the report stated that in 2006, more than 81,000 Malaysians were found to be HIV positive or had AIDS.
“The rate of infection is staggering and seeing as we have many cultural constraints, the media’s role in creating awareness here is limited.
“Networking among media partners, long-term programmes and powerful media campaigns are needed if we are to improve,” he said when met at the summit.

E-MEDICINE'S HERE: Now you can fall sick anywhere in Malaysia

NST: 38 hospitals across the country are linked by digitised telecommunications under an RM27 million programme. The system not only helps patients get the best treatment without having to physically see a specialist, but also saves time, travel, cost and bed use.

KUALA LUMPUR: The idea of a patient being "examined" by a doctor in a hospital hundreds of kilometres away is no longer in the realm of science fiction.
It has become a reality under a RM27 million tele-medicine system that uses digitised telecommunications to link 38 hospitals across the country.
Doctors and specialists receive online access to the diagnosis and medical history of patients whom they may never see in person.
A pilot project has proven successful in, among others, using radiographs, ECGs, laboratory results, echocardiograms and coronary arteriograms to determine the health of patients.
It also allows for second opinions, exchange of views among doctors treating a patient and referrals to be made from any of the 38 locations.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the move would not only help patients get the best treatment without having to physically see a specialist but also save on time, travel, cost and bed use.
For a start, teleconsultation, one of the major applications of telemedicine, is being used for five disciplines — radiology, cardiology, dermatology, accident and traumatology and neurosurgery.
Put in place by WorldCare Health (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, it also allows for peer-to-peer transmission of film-based radiological images as well as scanned paper documents, voice annotations, digital images and ECG scans.
Dr Abdul Latiff said teleradiology enabled physicians to seek primary and secondary diagnosis of radiological images, such as X-ray films, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and ultrasound imaging.
"If the patient is at the Grik Hospital, the doctor will transmit it to the radiologist in Ipoh Hospital who will then interpret and provide a diagnosis and appropriate patient management and treatment strategies.
"If a second opinion is needed to refer a patient for treatment, it would also be given," he told the New Straits Times.
Dr Abdul Latiff said patients could be treated faster and more effectively without the need to be sent by an ambulance to where the specialist concerned was located.
"If a patient needs to be referred immediately for surgery or examination, then it can be done without delay."
He said specialists and doctors in hospitals had already started using the system.
"If the programme proves a success without hitches, it will be extended to other hospitals nationwide.
"We want to optimise the programme with the co-operation of doctors and specialists who also have to make IT part of their working life," Dr Abdul Latiff said.

WorldCare senior manager Yusmar Yahaya said the teleconsultation services were designed to be user-friendly around the clock.
Responses can be expected between 30 minutes and 24 hours of a request being made. "The services can be transmitted over ordinary telephone lines," he added.
The government launched the teleconsultation pilot project with WorldCare managing and operating it from April 2000 to October 2002 under a RM20 million allocation.
The service was continued until July 2003 when it was temporarily disrupted. It was reactivated in June 2005 with an allocation of RM6.3 million for maintenance, upgrading of equipment and telecommunications services.
The first seven months of the pilot project were used for implementation and network commissioning with the Malaysian Teleconsultation Network fully operational in November 2000.
Malaysia’s Teleconsultation Network is powered by the US FDA approved OpenMed™ Manager switching matrix, while OpenMed™ Capture serves as the platform for capture and acquisition of medical modalities.
Viewing and reporting of teleconsultations is done through the web-based OpenMed™ Viewer, allowing for geographical barriers to be broken.
Yusmar said high-resolution X-rays, MRIs and CT scans were sent through the industry standard DICOM protocols to the OpenMed™ Radiology application for viewing on high-resolution diagnostic work stations.
Health Ministry Telehealth Division assistant director Dr Vijayan Kannan said a doctor who wanted to do teledermatology could use high-resolution digital cameras to acquire images of focal skin lesions or rashes.
These can then be transmitted to a dermatologist for interpretation.
He added that at a resolution of 3.5 megapixels to 5 megapixels, the size of images could range between 640x480 pixels and 1024x768 pixels.
"Similar technology is used in other disciplines. The idea is to deliver patient focus health services to the public.
"People in rural areas no longer have to come to the city or towns for referrals or to see a specialist."
Dr Vijayan said the introduction of teleconsultation had helped save ambulances for emergency cases.
"This can also save time besides costs in terms of ferrying patients to hospitals."
Dr Vijayan said referrals had been reduced by 50 per cent after the system was introduced.

Ceiling panel collapse: Loose hooks likely cause

NST: SUNGAI PETANI: The collapsed ceiling panels at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital might have been caused by hooks holding the aluminium supports getting dislodged.
This is one possibility being investigated to determine the reasons why more than 20 ceiling panels came crashing down in three areas at the RM450 million hospital on Saturday and Sunday.
State Works Committee chairman Datuk Nawawi Ahmad said another possible reason was that too few hooks had been used to hold the aluminium supports.
"We are still investigating the causes but these are the preliminary findings of the state Public Works Department," he said yesterday when commenting on the incidents at the hospital, which opened last December.
On Saturday, 12 ceiling panels, each measuring about 0.6m by 1.4m, fell in the men’s ward. However, no one was injured. Later that day, eight panels collapsed in the pantry of the children’s nursery and intensive care unit, slightly injuring a doctor.
On Sunday, another eight panels collapsed along the corridor near the lobby on the ground floor, but no one was injured.
Nawawi said state PWD engineers found that some of the hooks, bolted to the concrete beams, had been dislodged.
"The aluminium supports could not sustain the weight of the ceiling panels, which led to its collapse.
"We believe this incident could have been prevented if more hooks were used to hold the supports."
Nawawi said the contractor responsible had carried out repairs and was also instructed to check on all ceilings supporting structures.
"I have also instructed the contractor of the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star to carry out similar checks before it is opened later this year."
The joint contractors of the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, Bina Darulaman Bhd and TH Universal Builders Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tabung Haji, could not be reached for comments.

Media Vital To Combat HIV/Aids

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- The media's role is vital in fighting HIV/Aids which up to last year infected about 39.5 million people globally, said the Health Ministry's director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican.
In a special address at the Global Media Strategies on HIV and Aids conference here today, Dr Ismail said in this context, the media must be understanding, dedicated and creative.
"The media is an essential partner in fighting HIV and Aids...without the media all our efforts cannot be successful," he said at the event organised in conjunction with the Asia Media Summit 2007 which begins here on Tuesday.
"In fact, the media is such a powerful tool that it has the ability to reverse the HIV/Aids scenario globally."
On the HIV/Aids situation in Malaysia, he said that up to the end of 2006 there were 76,389 reported HIV/Aids cases in the country compared to only four cases in 1986.
In 2006, 5,830 new cases were reported or an average of 16 cases per day.
Dr Ismail said the government was supportive in various efforts and programmes to combat the disease, with the Cabinet Committee on Aids being chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Among the strategies to tackle HIV/Aids in Malaysia were through training and capacity enhancement, he added.
For instance, a pilot project called "Harm Reduction Programme" for intravenous drug users was introduced to reduce high-risk behaviour among them like sharing contaminated needles and having unprotected sex.

AMO recalls contact lens care solution

Star: PETALING JAYA: Contact lens wearers who use Advanced Medical Optics Inc's (AMO) Complete MoisturePlus solution should stop using it immediately.
According to a press release issued by the company yesterday, any consumer who is concerned about an eye condition should contact their eye-care practitioner first.
AMO, it said, was also voluntarily recalling the product from the market, although it emphasised that there was no evidence that the move was related to a product contamination issue.
“This does not impact any of AMO's other contact lens care products including our family of hydrogen peroxide disinfecting solutions,” it added.
The recall was because of information from the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about eye infections from Acanthamoeba, a naturally occurring water-borne organism that can contribute to serious corneal infections.
The CDC had interviewed 46 patients who had developed Acanthamoeba keratitis since January 2005 and 39 of these patients were soft contact lens wearers and 21 reported using Complete MoisturePlus products.
Acanthamoeba keratitis can produce corneal ulceration and cause severe loss of vision and even blindness. The symptoms include persistent redness and pain in the eye.
The CDC estimated those who used the solution had seven times greater risk than those who did not.
For details, call the consumer information hotline at 03-7710 6311 from Monday through Friday (9am to 6pm) or log on to www.amo-eyecare-sea.com

Negri makes pre-marital HIV test a must for Muslims

Star: SEREMBAN: From Friday, all Muslim couples getting married will have to undergo HIV tests in government clinics, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.
“We want the couples to be free of any problem that can affect their family relationship,” he said.
He said HIV and AIDS were among the top five diseases reported in the state, with 109 new cases reported last year but many cases went unreported because the victims had not gone for health checks.
Mohamad said 80% of the 1,300 Muslim couples who attended pre-marital courses last year were supportive of the tests to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“This shows that prospective brides and grooms accept the idea and are conscious of their health,” he said when contacted.
Johor was the first to implement the ruling in 2001 before other states followed suit.
“We will offer counselling and advice to those with HIV/AIDS to make them change their lifestyle,” he said.
Mohamad said that in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) report, it was stated that Malaysia had achieved all development targets except that of overcoming the HIV/AIDS issue.
“Malaysia is among the countries which are not free from HIV and AIDS due to the problems of drug misuse and the practice of free sex,” he said.
Mohamad said statistics from the Health Ministry’s AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases division showed that 70,559 HIV cases were reported between 1986 and December 2005.
Some 10,663 patients had developed AIDS, of which 8,179 died.

Cement mixer used to make fake Viagra

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Imagine taking painkillers to dull the pain but ending up with kidney failure or consuming Viagra and ending up with the urge to dance all night long.
Pfizer Inc, which produces Viagra, has expressed concern about the booming trade in counterfeit medicines in the Asia-Pacific region.
Its global security senior regional director, Donald Shruhan, said 3.5 million counterfeit Viagra tablets were seized in 2005, a seven-fold increase from 500,000 in 2003.
"Tests on counterfeit Ponstan tablets revealed that although it looks similar to the original, the imitation contains boric acid, which can cause kidney failure and even death. A fake Viagra pill was found to contain the same ingredients as Ecstasy," he added.
Those who consume counterfeit drugs are at risk because it will be ineffective, are produced in unhygienic conditions and have not been tested or approved.
"The counterfeit pharmaceutical products that consumers purchase may also contain toxic or unlisted ingredients, which may prove detrimental to their health."
In Egypt, a cement mixer was used to mix several different ingredients to make fake Viagra tablets.
"Counterfeiters are more concerned with the appearance of their product rather than the efficacy," Shruhan said.
Studies have shown that counterfeit medicines account for nearly 10 per cent or US$22 billion (RM74.8 billion) of the global supply of medicine.

New hospital’s ceiling panels fall off

NST: SUNGAI PETANI: The ceiling in three areas of the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, which started operations last October, collapsed yesterday and the day before.
In both the incidents,28 ceiling panels came crashing down but no one was injured.
On Saturday, 12 pieces collapsed at the men’s ward, about 1.45pm.
Fortunately, the panels did not hit the four patients in the ward, recovering from post-surgery.
The same day, eight panels fell at the lobby.
At noon yesterday, eight panels fell into the pantry of the children’s nursery and intensive care unit.
The pantry was vacant when the incident happened.
This is the latest in a series of mishaps which have occurred in new government buildings — such as burst pipes, cracks on walls, malfunctioning air-conditioning system and a power outage, affecting the Immigration headquarters in Putrajaya, a hall in another building there and the new court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.
Preliminary checks by the hospital maintenance division showed that the panels fell after the aluminium supports gave way.
State Health director Dr Hasnah Ismail confirmed the incidents. She said the contractor of the RM450 million hospital had started repairs and had been directed to check the ceiling of the whole hospital.
Dr Hasnah said the state Public Works Department had been informed of the incidents.
Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid expressed shock and said: "This is very serious. I have asked for a full report."

Chong sounds warning on crooked mediums

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: People who are ill should see a certified doctor first instead of seeking a supernatural cure, said MCA Public Services Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong.
He was appealing to the Chinese community in particular, saying that many chose to see mediums to heal them of their ailments, but later found themselves at the mercy of some “crooked mediums”.
“If you want to go see a medium, we cannot stop you. “But please go see a doctor first,” he told a press conference at his office here yesterday.
He told the story of a woman who had been suffering from breast cancer since August last year.
“The medium told her not to worry as he could cure her of her illness using magic, and she believed him.
“It was only recently that her family members finally managed to persuade her to go to a doctor, but the cancer has already spread to other parts of her body,” he said, adding that the woman had been seeing this medium for years, but had kept it a secret from her family.
The woman’s brother, who did not want to be named, said he found out about the medium a few weeks ago and how the quack healer would punish his sister by making her kneel under the hot sun for hours for failing to greet him properly.
“He would say that she has angered the spiritual grandmaster.
“This is an abuse of women and it is not acceptable,” he said.
Chong said he had received more than six cases of “crooked mediums” who took money from their victims and some who even demanded to have sex with their “patients”.
“When their victims declined to have sex with them, these mediums then threatened to hurt them and their family members.
“I want to urge victims not to be afraid. They should lodge a police report against these mediums. Please come forward, we will help you,” he said.

Have right attitude, docs urged

Star: PENANG: Do some soul searching. This is the advice of the Health Ministry to doctors who decline rural postings for selfish reasons.
Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said many such doctors were born and bred in urban areas and usually cited further education and family problems as excuses not to be posted to rural hospitals.
“Doctors must have the right spirit and attitude. The profession is all about practising medicine and helping the sick,” Lee said after opening a hepatitis health awareness campaign at the Caring Society Complex here yesterday.
He was commenting on newspaper reports that some doctors and their parents were seeking the help of elected representatives to decline postings in rural areas.
Lee said doctors should know they were liable to be transferred anywhere during their three-year compulsory service with the Government.
He said those posted to rural areas and outskirts would be given extra points, adding that it would be advantageous for them when applying for scholarships to further their studies.
Lee said the ministry had drawn up programmes to create awareness among schoolchildren aspiring to be doctors.
“We want them (the schoolchildren) to understand what being a doctor is really about. They must understand the nature of the job,” he added.
Lee said the current doctor-to-population ratio was 1:1,200 in the peninsula and 1:2,000 in Sarawak and Sabah.
“Our target is to achieve the ratio of 1:600 by 2020,” he added.
The campaign was organised by the Senior Citizens' Association of Penang, Penang Adventist Hospital and the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia.

Govt Wants Varsities To Raise Intake Of Medical Students

PENANG, May 27 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry will ask institutions of higher learning to increase their intake of medical students.
The Health Ministry's Parliamentary Secretary, Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the intake should be increased without affecting the quality of education.
The government, he added, was still experiencing a shortage of doctors, especially in the rural areas.
The ratio of doctors to patients in the peninsula is 1:1,300 while in Sabah and Sarawak it is 1:3,000.
"We want the ratio to be 1:600 which is the level in advanced countries," he said to reporters here today.
Lee said the government now wants medical students to go through orientation at hospitals or emergency wards to groom them to become good doctors.
Efforts were also made to draw doctors to work in the rural areas by offering various incentives.

One in five Malaysian smokers below 15

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of smoking, children as young as 14 are lighting up.
A Health Ministry survey found that the average age of new smokers has been dropping steadily over the years.
"In 1986, the average age at which Malaysians started smoking was 19. Ten years later, the average age was 18. Last year, it was 14," said Federal Territory Health Department deputy health director Dr Sallehudin Abu Bakar.
At least 20 per cent of the country’s smokers are believed to be below the age of 15.
Three million male smokers and 200,000 female smokers aged 15 and above make up the other 80 per cent.
"Surveys by the ministry found that the majority of young smokers, about 40 per cent, started smoking because of peer pressure.
"Only 10 per cent said they were influenced by advertisements," said Dr Sallehudin, who was speaking in his capacity as a facilitator of the ministry’s "Quit Smoking" programme.
He said a ban on smoking would not serve any purpose if neighbouring countries did not follow suit.
"Drugs are banned but you still get drugs in the country. Tobacco will just go underground and when that happens, it will be very difficult to control.
"There will be a lot of smuggling and some people will get very rich."
He said it made more sense for the government to use regulatory measures to discourage smoking.
In fact, he added, the government is mulling over the possibility of introducing a special licence for cigarette vendors.
Associate professor Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamad, who heads the Pharmacy Practice Department of the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Kuantan, agreed that this was the right approach to take.
He said the government should regulate tobacco as a poison under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Dr Haniki also suggested that the price of cigarettes be increased by imposing a 60 per cent tax.
Cigarette packets, he said, should carry graphic health warnings about the dangers of smoking.
"Eliminate kiddie-packs. Only 20-stick packs should be allowed. And smoking in all public places should be banned," he stressed.
Dr Haniki said while the ban on cigarette advertising had been helpful, there were legal loopholes which allowed indirect advertising by cigarette companies.
Dr Sallehudin urged smokers to seek help at "Quit Smoking" clinics run by the Health Ministry which had helped about 1,000 smokers kick the habit.
The ministry began setting up "Quit Smoking" clinics in 1998. There are now some 250 "Quit Smoking" clinics in the country.
Most of them are based at government polyclinics and managed by family medicine specialists. There are also clinics at outpatient departments of government hospitals.
"Eighty per cent of smokers who show up for treatment at the "Quit Smoking" clinics are male. About 60 per cent of them don’t complete the programme.
"The figure is even higher for female smokers," Dr Sallehudin said, adding that the definition of quitting successfully was total abstinence for six months.

Chua suggests exam for all foreign medical graduates

NST: MALACCA: It would be more cost effective to set a competency examination for foreign medical graduates rather than recognising individual medical schools overseas.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said his ministry was discussing the possibility of setting such an exam with the Malaysian Medical Council.
"In the long term, it is simply not cost effective for the Health Ministry to grant recognition to one foreign medical school after another. So this system may be a better way to judge the standard of a medical graduate," said Dr Chua.
Currently, 344 medical schools worldwide are recognised, and the ministry "cannot go on providing recognition to more universities in order to increase the number of doctors in the country".
"When a university is recognised by the ministry, its standards need to be evaluated from time to time. We simply can’t afford to travel to each foreign university every so often," he said.
With a competency exam, medical graduates can be accepted into the profession regardless of which university they graduate from.
"It doesn’t matter whether your medical school is recognised or not. As long as you are good, have a medical degree and can pass the qualifying exam, you can practise here," said the health minister.
Chua was commenting on the suggestion that Malaysia recognise more Taiwanese medical schools, made by Taiwan University Graduates Alumni Confederation president Law Yang Ket.
In his speech at the opening of the confederation’s annual general meeting here yesterday, Law said the government only recognised eight of the more than 20 medical schools in Taiwan, and the shortage of doctors could be overcome if more medical schools were recognised.
Dr Chua also said there could be no compromise on quality even though there was a shortage of doctors.
"You are dealing with people’s lives when you are a doctor."
The standard of medical students had dropped after a recent attempt to increase the number of doctors because "they just don’t have the right attitude and commitment", he added.
He said the ministry organised a five-day programme in several hospitals last year to show aspiring doctors with excellent SPM and STPM results what being in the medical profession involved.
"Ten per cent changed their minds about being a doctor after attending the programme. This shows that students don’t get enough guidance and counselling before deciding on a career path.
"Just because they have achieved 12 or 13 As in their exams, they decide to become a doctor without knowing what it takes to become one," he said, adding that the programme would be lengthened to 10 days this year.
"One needs commitment, discipline and passion to be a doctor."

Qualifying exam for doctors

Star: MALACCA: Medical graduates who studied overseas may have to sit for a unified medical examination and, whether their university is recognised or not, a pass in the examination would allow them to practise in Malaysia.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said this would ensure these graduates had the required standard and quality to practise medicine in the country.
He said the ministry was discussing the matter with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), adding that Malaysia recognises 344 universities for medical studies.
“We cannot continue giving recognition to more and more universities because we have to evaluate and monitor their standards from time to time.
“We are also not capable of doing so as there are more than 300 universities,” he told reporters after opening the 17th annual general meeting of the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities here yesterday.
Dr Chua said the local unified medical examination had to be introduced as a long-term solution.
“We want to maintain the quality and standard of our doctors.
“It would be disappointing if, one day, Malaysians lose confidence in their own doctors.
“So we should not focus on quantity. The standard is more important,” he said, adding that there had lately been a drop in the quality of doctors.
Among the causes was the medical students' lack of commitment. Many took up the course not because they were interested in medicine, he said.
Dr Chua said these students only believed they had to be doctors because of their excellent results in the SPM and STPM examinations.
“We have implemented a programme where we try to get them accustomed to a hospital environment for five days.
“At the end of it, we see about 10% of them pulling out of the course.
“What we want is commitment and passion which is lacking,” said Dr Chua, adding that the ministry would increase the number of course days to between seven and 10 next year.
He said that so far, the Government recognised eight Taiwanese universities and 250 of the graduates had registered to become doctors, 120 as dentists and 57 as pharmacists.

The Malaysian Medical Association said that although a unified medical examination for overseas graduates was good, it had to be well thought out.
Association president Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin said the examination could be conducted in three parts, comprising practical, written and viva voce.
“The plan will not work with the candidate sitting for just one paper. It could take between two and three days,” he said when contacted yesterday.
MMC president Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the examination would remove the problem of varying standards as a result of graduates coming from different universities.
The move would also see the MMC not being taxed with issues such as paperwork and conducting inspections on medical schools, which are time-consuming.

Chua: No need to review NS decision

Star: MUAR: There is no need to review the decision not to make it compulsory for national service (NS) trainees to undergo medical examinations, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said the Cabinet had agreed on the matter on Wednesday based on the findings of a technical committee comprising medical experts from the ministry and the Armed Forces.
Based on the 12 fatal incidents among NS trainees to date, most were accidental or due to diseases contracted during training, he said after attending a charity dinner at SRJK Pei Yang here on Friday.
Dr Chua said the deaths could not be prevented but the ministry agreed for all NS camps to have medical assistants and trained nurses to be on duty round the clock.
He said it was also necessary for the camps that were located more than 10km from the nearest hospital or clinic to have an ambulance service on standby.

Training for doctors, nurses

NST: DOCTORS and nurses in Selangor, Terengganu, Perak, Johor and Sarawak are being trained to identify autistic children.
This follows data collected in 2004 from government hospitals and clinics nationwide which showed that 50 per cent of children diagnosed with autism were below 7.
Health Ministry principal assistant director of public health Dr Aminah Bee Mohd Kassim said the pilot project has been implemented in some government clinics in the five states.
Under the project, doctors and nurses provide a checklist called the "Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers" to parents.
"Parents are required to fill up the checklist of 23 questions so that doctors can ascertain if the child concerned has symptoms of autism."
She said there were plans to implement compulsory health checks at clinics for children who are 18 months old.
Malaysian Paediatric Association president Dr Zulkifli Ismail was positive about the pilot project.
"We do have a shortage of expertise and the ministry’s action is a positive step forward.
"Although there is no cure for autism, it can be managed if detected early."
"The earlier it is detected, the better it is because children can be sent for speech therapy which can help them improve."
National Autism Society of Malaysia (Nascom) executive director Liew Yoon Loy said 14 children from the centre run by the organisation had been enrolled at SK Setapak.
She said this was possible because of the dedication and support the children received from their parents and teachers.

Play therapy for the autistic

NST: For years, few knew how to deal with children with emotional or mental health problems. But a new method — play therapy — has been devised to allow children, including the autistic, to express their feelings, write SHAMINI DARSHNI and MALINA JEYA PALAN
Play therapy, a new concept to Malaysia, uses play techniques in a therapeutic manner to help children deal with problems.
TOYS, music, art, movement and even story-telling are being used to help children with excessive emotional behaviour or mental health problems.
Play therapy, a new concept to Malaysia, uses play techniques in a therapeutic manner to help children deal with problems.
Play Therapy International (PTI) president Monika Jephcott said it was used to help children with abuse, anger, autism, attachment, communication, delayed development and withdrawn personality issues.
It also helps children with separated or divorced parents, poor school attendance and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
"The unique aspect of play therapy is that it encourages children to heal themselves in their own time," she said.
Jephcott said it was all about children communicating with people.
"We don’t ask questions. It’s an opportunity for them to play out their feelings and problems."
According to statistics from the United Kingdom, one in five children have mental, behavioural or psychological problems, while one in 10 have mental health problems.
Play therapists in Britain work with children in schools, hospitals, foster homes and in other social services.
Experts are excited as statistics show that children who have undergone play therapy improve by 70 per cent.
This is why a local non-governmental organisation, Protect and Save The Children (P. S. The Children) is collaborating with PTI to train play therapists here.
To date, 70 Health Ministry officials, nurses, sexual assault police, counsellors, university lecturers, psychologists and teachers are undergoing the certificate in therapeutic skills course (play therapy).
Of this, 40 will complete their course by November.
The recently-formed Play Therapy Malaysia will govern the standards of play therapy in Malaysia.
According to PTI statistics, of the children who manifest mental, emotional and behavioural problems, two-thirds are boys, who also seem to suffer the most effects.
Protect and Save the Children director Madeleine Yong, who is initiating Play Therapy Malaysia, hoped to see trained local play therapists in schools and shelter homes.

MMC: We can act against fly-by-night doctors

Star: PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) can act against foreign fly-by-night doctors who carry out cosmetic surgery without a valid temporary practising certificate.
“Action can be taken,” said its president Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican on Thursday.
“There are doctors coming in and in cohorts with some who are providing the treatment. They are the fly-by-night doctors who come in quietly and do the job. They are not registered with the MMC.”
He said that doctors were supposed to register with the MMC if they wanted to come to Malaysia to carry out procedures.
Dr Ismail, who is also Health Ministry director-general, added that the Cosmetology Bill, which was expected to be tabled by early next year, would enable the ministry to make sure that premises adhered to guidelines drawn up for them.
“Right now, they can plead ignorance. We will be in a better position to carry out enforcement,” he said, adding that the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill would keep traditional medicine practitioners in check.
Dr Ismail said that there were between 8,000 and 10,000 outlets which carried out unapproved cosmetic surgeries, such as beauty shops, which were not allowed to do procedures which included ingestion or injections.
He also encouraged those who had fallen victim to botched procedures to lodge complaints with the ministry so that it would be able to carry out raids.
Malaysian Association of Plastic, Aesthetic and Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons (Mapacs) president Dr Peter Wong T.L. advised the public to seek treatment at clinics or hospitals run by registered doctors or plastic surgeons.

Eye doctor with a big heart

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Every Sunday at 5am, he would leave his Bukit Tunku home to treat poor patients in rural areas. He was determined that if he could save someone’s sight, he would do it.
Datuk Dr Keshmahinder Singh was known for his compassion and his big heart.
He did not charge the elderly and those who could not afford to pay for treatment.
Dr Keshmahinder died on Wednesday. He was 85 years old.
He was one of the country’s foremost opthamologists and left a lasting impression on both those who worked with him and his former patients.
The former executive director of the Malaysian Association for the Blind, Winnie Ng, remembered him for his sincerity in helping the poor.
"He would travel in his mobile clinic to reach out to the marginalised.
"He was a very caring and compassionate person, especially to the poor. He had a great volunteer spirit."
Mabel Marbeck, a former patient, said Dr Keshmahinder did not charge the poor and elderly patients she brought to his Jalan Dang Wangi clinic.
He was soft-spoken but strict when it came to work, said William Brohier, who had known Dr Keshmahinder professionally for the past 40 years.
"He was a man of integrity, a no-nonsense man," he said.
He was one of the movers in the setting up of the Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital in 1986, and donated all his equipment to the hospital when he closed his clinic.
He served as its executive director after his retirement in 1988, leaving the eye hospital in 1990.
Among the many important contributions he made to the development of eye care here was to mine his international contacts to bring top opthamologists from all over the world to share their knowledge.
He was also a sociable man and his home was often filled with laughter as he offered hospitality to his family and many friends.
"Although he was busy with his work, he still had time for his family, relatives and friends" said his daughter and only child, Jaspreet Gill.
With no grandchildren of his own, Dr Keshmahinder delighted in spending time with his great-nephews and nieces.
He was admitted to Pantai Medical Centre three weeks ago where he died of natural causes.
Though ill health had prevented him from seeing many of his old friends for a number of years, they came to his home yesterday in the hundreds to pay their last respects.
He is survived by his wife, Datin Balbir, and Jaspreet.

Perak ruler tells doctors to put patients first

NST: IPOH: The integrity of medical services will be tainted if practitioners forget their priorities in pursuit of wealth.
The Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah said this would eventually lead to doctors neglecting services to the people, especially the poor.
At the opening of Universiti Kuala Lumpur-Royal College of Medicine Perak’s (UniKL-RCMP) eighth campus here he reminded institutions of higher learning on the need to instil ethical and humanitarian values in undergraduates.
"The philosophy behind medical services must be instilled in the minds, and humanitarian values nurtured in the hearts of all medical practitioners," he said.
Stressing that modern medical services were now a daily necessity, Sultan Azlan Shah said a patient’s comfort and peace of mind should always be the priority.
"The patient and family members need assurance, and medical practitioners must display a high level of compassion."
He said as a college that had been accorded the "royal" status, RCMP had to be intelligent in instilling such values so that its graduates were well rounded and balanced.
"This college would have to push hard to prove that its academic and research performances befit that of a college with royal status."
RCMP started out as Perak Medical College in February 1999 with an enrolment of 27 and a single programme.
In 2005, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) took over PMC, a move which enabled the college to upgrade its status to become a campus of UniKL in June last year.
Now, with an enrolment of nearly 900, there are four programmes — medicine and surgery, nursing, pharmacy and radiology.

Chua: Gullible women attracting the quacks

NST: PUTRAJAYA:Women are so gullible when it comes to cosmetic surgeries that some even have it done in hotels.
And this has attracted droves of foreign quacks.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said at least nine out of 10 botched jobs went unreported.
"I am really surprised that women are so gullible here. No wonder these quacks can survive in Malaysia," he said in response to the recent spate of media reports on botched work done by beauticians and people claiming to be aesthetic surgeons, mainly from Taiwan and China.
Yesterday, the New Straits Times highlighted a case where the work done by an unqualified person landed a 29-year-old housewife with breast cancer.
The woman, from Ulu Tiram, Johor, referred to as Tan, had gone to the so-called doctor, a foreigner, in December 2005 for breast enlargement.
She paid RM6,400 for a four-hour surgery in a hotel room in Johor.
Lumps appeared in her breasts six months later and she was in pain.
The woman consulted a doctor in Johor Baru last month and was diagnosed with cancer. The man who performed the surgery has disappeared.
Dr Chua said many women had undergone plastic surgeries under the hands of unqualified people and this was occurring very frequently.
And most of this is done by "fly-by-night" operators in an unsterilised setting.
"They must be aware that they cannot do an operation or surgery in a hotel. This is the 21st century and people should know that no surgery can be performed in a hotel room," Dr Chua said.
He advised people seeking such treatments to check with the Malaysian Medical Council if they had any doubts.

Doc denies botch allegation

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: A doctor has denied that he botched the breast enlargement procedure of a woman.
He said this to the press through his lawyers Ho Kam Phaw and Priscilla Lau at the MCA Public Services Complaints Department here yesterday.
The doctor and his two lawyers had earlier met with department head Datuk Michael Chong to explain his side of the story.
The doctor, on reading in the papers yesterday the allegation made by the 31-year-old woman called Tay, went to see Chong with his two lawyers.
Chong said both parties have decided to settle the matter out of court.

Compulsory HIV screening

Star: SEREMBAN: Effective June 1, all Muslim couples in Negri Sembilan are required to undergo HIV screening at designated government clinics before getting married.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that this was in line with the outcome of the special Cabinet committee on HIV/AIDS meeting last year which recommended compulsory screening for Muslims intending to tie the knot.
He said a study was conducted by the Negri Sembilan health and religious authorities last year before a decision was made to implement the programme.

Stars join cancer fight

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Seven local women celebrities are all geared up for a special promotional event – spreading awareness about cervical cancer.
The “Take Action” awareness and educational campaign was launched yesterday to help educate women about the disease, said to be the second most common cancer affecting them, and the second leading cause of cancer death in women.
Leading the effort are actress Ida Nerina, fashion guru Gillian Hung, TV personalities Bernie Chan and Celina Khor, deejay Marion Caunter, stage presence coach Fatimah Abu Bakar, and former Miss Malaysia Kavita Kaur.
The campaign, a follow-up from last year's “Tell Someone” cervical cancer awareness campaign, is a direct call to women to act upon the knowledge they have about the disease and Human Papillomavirus-related diseases.
National Cancer Society of Malaysia executive director Dr Saunthari Somasundaram said the aim was to “reach out to and educate young women to be on guard against the disease.
“Last year's campaign was significant as a start was made. This year, we believe we can do better to help prevent this form of cancer,” she said at the launch here yesterday.
Speaking in support of the campaign, Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Malaysia president Dr Abdul Aziz Yahya said women must understand the severity of cervical cancer and Human Papillomavirus-related diseases, and “how a simple visit to their doctors can help prevent it.”
“Protection is always better than treatment and cervical cancer is a preventable disease. So, go for your pap smear test,” he said.
There will be roadshows, interactive gatherings, seminars and role-play sessions at colleges throughout the campaign period.
For details, visit www.tellsomeone.com.my

Firm allays fears over usage of diabetic drug

Star: PETALING JAYA: Diabetics taking the drug Avandia should continue with their treatment and seek advice from their physician, said GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd medical affairs director Dr Sharmila Ramachandran.
She said the company received many enquiries from patients who were on the drug prescribed for Type II diabetics after a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week which stated that there was an increased risk of cardiac-related deaths and heart attacks.
The study showed that there was a 43% increase in heart attack risk and a 64% increase in heart attack death in patients who were on thiazolidinedione drugs. These are Avandia and Actos made by Takeda.
Dr Sharmila also said the company “strongly disagreed” with the conclusions of the article, questioning the methodology used by the author Dr Steve Nissen, Cleveland Clinic chief cardiologist.
A statement by the firm said that it had commissioned three surveys.
One of them, the Adopt trial done recently, showed only a small increase of myocardial infarction for Avandia users at 1.65%.

NS Dept to meet Health Ministry over medical staff deployment

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The National Service Training Department will meet the Health Ministry to discuss the deployment of medical staff at all NS camps.
Department director-general Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil, who is happy with the decision, said that previously, each camp had only two paramedics who were on standby 24 hours.
“We will hold discussions as soon as possible with the Health Ministry on the exact number of medical people to be seconded to the camps.
“We have about 80 NS camps which may need 240 more hospital assistants and 190 nurses,” he said.
“Parents will be assured that their children’s healthcare will be managed well and more effectively during their training period,” he said after attending the presentation of excellent service awards to Defence Ministry staff here yesterday.
Abdul Hadi said 30,500 NS trainees would report for the third series on June 16.
On another matter, he advised parents to fill the medical assessment forms before their children attend training or if they want their children to be exempted for medical reasons.
He said that while it was not necessary for the trainees to undergo medical check-ups, they should make a declaration of their health status.
The parents should sign the forms and get confirmation from doctors on their children’s health status, he added.
Abdul Hadi said this procedure would help the camp management to check the health background of the trainees.
“Those reporting for training on June 16 should complete the forms truthfully, and the camp management can bring them to the nearest hospital or clinic if a medical check is needed.
“Trainees who want to postpone their stint because of health reasons should also complete the forms after getting their doctor’s approval,” he added.

Company Launches Portal On Patients' Medical Records

PETALING JAYA, May 23 (Bernama) -- PLS Hitech (M) Sdn Bhd Wednesday night launched a RM3 million portal which enables any health centres worldwide access to a patient's medical record online.
The aim was to make it easier for the patient to get immediate and effective treatment anywhere in the world, PLS Hitech chief executive officer Rahu Pallier said here.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad who launched the portal, www.myhealthinfo.com.my, said the government welcomed the initiative because it would be useful to doctors, patients and insurance companies.
"The problem is the public are concerned with the confidentiality of their health information," he told reporters.
He said the portal would be used by private clinics and hospitals and if necessary, government doctors would also have access to it.
The public who are interested can register themselves for free with the company and hand over their medical records to be uploaded into the portal.

Malaysia To Produce Own Vaccine In Three Years' Time

PUTRAJAYA, May 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia plans to set up its own vaccine production centre in three years' time, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
"Currently, Malaysia is dependent on the import of vaccine, and that is why we are trying to develop our own vaccine production," he said.
"It will cost about RM800 million to RM1 billion to set up a vaccine production centre, including the hi-tech and research centre. We want to do a vaccine centre together with a research centre," he told reporters after launching the Kuala Lumpur OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) Health Ministerial Conference 2007 web page here Thursday.
Dr Chua said Malaysia used to produce vaccine but somehow or rather it was closed down.
"That was many years ago and now we better restart all over again. We hope in three years time, (if) God is willing," he said.
The minister said the government expenditure on vaccines was between RM80 million to RM100 million annually.
He said it appeared that Malaysia imported the vaccines from the western countries.
This was because all these vaccines needed to have some pre-qualification requirement stipulated by the World health Organisation (WHO) and could not be simply purchased from anywhere.
When asked on the status of immunization programme in Malaysia, Dr Chua said: "It is the same as those in advanced countries. If you talk about basic immunization, I would say we have achieved nearly 100 percent."
"In Malaysia, we are lucky in the sense that we make it compulsory because firstly, there is political commitment and secondly, we have excellent physical health facilities which enable the people easy access," he said.
In the peninsula, he said 90 percent of the people were living within five kilometres from the health facilities.
To date there are 130 hospitals and 4,000 clinics including the mobile ones.
"So a simple programme like this needs commitment and accessibility to the health facilities," he said.
Dr Chua pointed out that because of the good immunization program in the country, Malaysia was able to bring down its mortality rate among children.
"The infant mortality rate when we achieved independence was 75 per 1,000 children. Today, we have reduced it to 5.1 per 1,000 children.
"The mortality rate of children less than five years old used to be 57 per 1,000, (but) today it has been reduced to 8.8 per 1,000," he said adding that these figures were comparable to a lot of the developed countries' figures.

Safety panel must for work places with 40 or more

Daily Express: Kota Kinabalu: Any workplace with 40 or more employees must establish a Safety and Health Committee under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act) 1994.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) Malaysia Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who disclosed this, said this is provided for under Section 15(2)(a) of OSH.
"The provision requires employers the 'provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far is practicable, safe and without risks to health'.
"This clearly places the burden of responsibility to provide a safe and healthy working environment on the employer. They are also legally bound to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the safety and health of employees," Lee said.
He said this at the launching of the Niosh Sabah Regional Office here and opening of a seminar on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Media Personnel, here, Monday.
The seminar was aimed at assisting media personnel on recognising and controlling some general safety concerns associated with the media industry.
In general, it sought to enhance awareness on safe and healthy working conditions among media members ranging from journalists, photographers, editors and graphic designers to workers who are involved in the printing and distribution process.
Also present were Niosh Malaysia Executive Director, Ir Amir Haji Yahya, Niosh Sabah Branch Manager, Azman Sah Sabali, and Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Sabah Branch Director, Ir. Mohd Anuar bin Embi.
Under the Act, Lee said, any employer who fails to abide by the provision is liable to pay a fine of up to RM5,000 or six months' jail, or both, upon conviction.
"Employees should give their full cooperation to management for their joint formulation of safety and health committees. In this way, both parties can fulfil their mutual obligation to provide safe and healthier workplaces," he said.
He said OSH management is needed for all workplace environments in respect of all industries to ensure high standards of safety and health at work.
"Industries and employers must realise that four fundamental factors justify OSH management and these are corporate responsibility, social and moral obligation, good business sense and legal obligation.
"Effective OSH management not only reduces the risk to safety and health but also ensures high returns to the companies and increased productivity," he said.
In this respect, Lee said employers must be prepared to invest in occupational and safety while employees must practise it at the workplaces.
In addition, he said companies must allocate a yearly budget for safety training to help prevent work-related accidents.

Boob job gone wrong

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Believing that big is beautiful, a 31-year-old woman went for a boob job. The result devastated her.
The woman, who wants to be known only as Tay, said she went for plastic surgery to enlarge her breasts in November 2005 at the advice of a beautician.
After a month, she felt an excruciating pain where the so-called surgeon had injected her.
She had paid RM6,400 to beautify her assets and received half the money back after she went back to the Taiwanese surgeon to complain about her condition.
He promised to refer her to a “specialist,'' saying that the other surgeon would remove whatever substance was causing the pain in her breasts.
The doctor, who claimed to have dozens of certificates from all over the world, went missing after six months and the “specialist” he promised never surfaced.
Repeated attempts to reach the Taiwanese “doctor” have failed and the beautician who introduced him to her has also denied she had anything to do with the botched surgery.
Tay has now brought her problem to MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong, who said he would bring up her case – and other similar cases – with the Health Ministry.
Relating the events at Chong’s office yesterday, Tay told reporters that she wanted the breast enlargement to please her husband.
She said she trusted her beautician, who brought her to a hotel in Johor Baru where the four-hour surgery was done.
She told her husband about it a month later when she felt the pain.
“After confronting the Taiwanese doctor in Kuala Lumpur about the pain, he refunded me RM3,200 and said that he would find another specialist to remove the substance from my body,” Tay said.
“Until today I have not heard from him again,” she added.
The substance that was injected into Tay was later identified as something only to be used on the face.
“The beautician later denied everything about the surgery and the employment of the Taiwanese doctor.
“In March, I felt several lumps on my breasts, and after consulting a medical doctor he told me that I need to have both my breasts removed as the lumps were cancerous,” said Tay.
Chong said he would bring the matter up with the Health Ministry regarding “quack doctors” running businesses here.
“It is not wrong for women to go for plastic surgeries but please consult the many qualified surgeons throughout Malaysia,” he added.

NS trainees to have access to three medical assistants and two nurses

Star: PUTRAJAYA: All national service camps will have at least three medical assistants and two nurses to ensure that trainees have access to medical attention always.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said this was among several recommendations by a technical committee which the Cabinet agreed to yesterday.

The other improvements are:
> Allocating ambulances for camps far away from hospitals or health clinics;
> Carrying out weekly health checks at camps either by the Health Ministry or the Armed Forces;
> Upgrading medical equipment such as stretchers, oxygen tanks and medication;
> Improving the quality of food at camps; and
> Carrying out physical training according to the health status of trainees.

With these improvements, Dr Chua said, there would be no need for trainees to undergo compulsory medical examinations before they start their training stint.
He said the improvements would be implemented immediately and the Government had allocated RM20mil for the additional equipment and staff.
He was speaking to reporters at his ministry here after the weekly Cabinet meeting.
The technical committee, headed by Health Ministry deputy director-general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat, was formed about two months ago to look into various problems afflicting the NS programme.
The committee members include the NS Training Department director-general and deputy director-general, three medical specialists and a nutritionist.
There have been 12 deaths involving NS trainees since the programme started in 2004, seven of them health-related.
Dr Chua said additional staff might be seconded from the ministry and the Armed Forces to be posted at the camps.
He also said there was a shortage of personnel for the weekly checks.
“We are discussing with the Armed Forces on how we can take turns to visit the camps,” he said.
Dr Chua said the compulsory medical examinations would not be necessary if trainees fill in the medical assessment forms truthfully.
He said it was found that for every 1,000 medical assessment forms filled in by trainees declaring that they had health problems, only five were genuine.
On the scheduling of the physical training module according to the health status of the trainee, Dr Chua said those who were unhealthy could get exemptions.
“We might even have different physical modules for male and female trainees,” he said.

Ministry Denies Handing Over Programme To NGOs

PUTRAJAYA, May 23 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has denied handing over a health hazard reduction programme to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
"All health hazard reduction programmes are under the Health Ministry and the ministry is still the main agency in leading the programmes," Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek told reporters at his office here today.
He was commenting on a local English daily report which said that the government had handed over the programme to give out condoms and syringes to prostitutes and drug addicts to NGOs including the Malaysian Aids Council in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.
The newspaper also quoted the Health Ministry's deputy director of disease control Dr Jalal Halil Khalil as saying that the move was because Malaysia, as an Islamic country, could not be seen as an agent advocating the use of condoms.
The report was not true and inaccurate, Dr Chua said but admitted that NGOs were involved in the programme.
"We are aware of the sensitivity involved. The government, through the Health Ministry, will do all it can to reduce HIV/AIDS infection," he said.
He said the government had allocated RM300 million for the programme and also to educate the public from this year till 2010.
Through the health hazard reduction programme, the ministry also gave out methadone to addicts so that they take drugs orally instead of intravenously, he said.
He said the government hoped the spread of HIV/Aids through intravenous injections could be reduced by 25 per cent by 2010.
Presently, 70 per cent of about 75,000 people with HIV/Aids in the country are addicts who take drugs intravenously.

Husband mulls legal action against hospital

NST: JOHOR BARU: A woman, whose pregnancy was due, was left bleeding for more than two hours at a hospital emergency ward in Kulai before the doctor decided she should be referred to another hospital.
And because of a series of unfortunate events, her unborn son was pronounced dead on arrival at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) here.
It started when Nurulhudah Othman, 29, who was suffering from pregnancy induced hypertension, or pre-eclampsia, was admitted to the Temenggong Ibrahim Hospital (HTI) in Kulai on May 7.
Two days later, she was allowed home but about 11.30am on May 9, Nurulhudah’s water burst and she started bleeding profusely.
She was rushed to HTI in an ambulance.
The HTI doctor, after cheking her, decided that it was not time yet for her to deliver and made her wait.
When the bleeding did not subside after two hours, the doctor in charge said they did not have enough blood at HTI to perform a Caesarean on Nurulhudah and decided that she should be referred to HSA.
She was bundled into an ambulance but halfway along the journey, one of the medical personnel realised that they had forgotten Nurulhudah’s medical records.
The ambulance was then forced to make a U-turn back to HTI which is about 40km away from HSA.
When they arrived at HSA at about 4pm, the unborn baby was pronounced dead.
Nurulhudah’s husband, Mohd Fetri A Razak, 30, a technician, who was with his wife throughout the ordeal was devastated and regretted the way HTI handled the situation.
"We can accept the death of our unborn son, but the way the hospital handled the emergency situation is unacceptable," he said when met at his home in Taman Desa, Kulai here.
He said the doctor at HSA explained that the placenta was already detached from the womb, thus cutting off the oxygen supply to the baby.
Mohd Fetri said he is considering legal action against HTI for negligence, adding that this is not the first time they had encountered problems with the hospital.
He claimed that when Nurulhudah delivered their first daughter six years ago, she suffered a retained placenta in her womb after a nurse failed to completely remove it after birth.

Anti-smoking campaign better option

Sun2Surf: KUALA LUMPUR (May 21, 2007): The government is focusing on educating the public to refrain from smoking rather than imposing a total ban because a ban comes with certain challenges, Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said today.
Answering a supplementary question from Datuk Syed Ali Syed Abbas Alhabbshee, he said the proposal to ban smoking nationwide would raise certain challenges. He did not elaborate on what these challenges were.
"To ban smoking is an easy suggestion. But it is not easy to be implemented. Now, we are more focused on education so that the people will understand the harm of smoking.
"If I am not mistaken, there are not many countries in the world that have totally banned smoking," he said.
To another question from Senator Datuk Soon Tian Sze, who questioned the effectiveness of the "Tak Nak" campaign in curbing smoking, Lee said the campaign was well received by the people.
"From our research, more than 70% of the people knew about the 'Tak Nak' campaign. But we have to be clear that the campaign is to create awareness and not to reduce the number of smokers," he said.
"Next, we will carry a grassroot campaign to reduce demand for cigarettes."
Lee said the move to impose high tax and price control on cigarettes was one of the most important strategies to curb smoking.
"According to a report by World Bank, if the price of cigarettes were to increase by about 10%, it will cut down the use of cigarettes by between 4% and 8%," he said.
He said the World Health Organisation also suggested that the tax imposed on cigarettes be 65% higher than the retail price.
"In Malaysia, the tax imposed on one box of 20-stick cigarettes is about RM3 or 40% of the retail price," he said, adding that the government had fixed the minimum price to prevent cheap sale of cigarettes in the market.

New dialysis centre for the poor

NST: SEREMBAN: Kidney patients from lower-income groups have been given a lifeline with the setting up of a new dialysis centre for the poor here.
The RM2 million centre, to be managed by the Seremban Hindu Mayana Sangam and Koperasi Serbaguna Negri Sembilan Berhad, is expected to begin operations in September.
Koperasi Serbaguna director M. Muthuraman said the centre in Jalan Rasah would have 10 dialysis machines, including four donated by the state government.
The number of machines will be increased to 24 in the future.
"Our services will be cheaper as we want to help the poor," Muthuraman said at a fund-raising dinner at Tafe college here on Saturday night.
Present were state executive councillor Datuk Zakaria Nor-din and Koperasi Serbaguna and Sangam chairman Datuk M. Muthuppalaniappan.
All profits would be channelled to the centre, including buying more dialysis machines at a cost of RM40,000 a unit.
"There are many kidney patients who can’t afford dialysis treatment, even at a subsidised rate. As a result, many end up without any treatment," Muthuraman said.
Individuals and organisations are urged to donate so that more patients would be able to benefit from the centre’s services.

Tough task of promoting condom use goes to NGOs

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: The debate on whether the government will lead the campaign to promote the use of condoms to fight HIV/AIDS may be over.
Health Ministry deputy director Dr Jalal Halil Khalil said the job had been handed over to non-governmental organisations like the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) through its 37 affiliates.
He said the government could not be seen to be the agent advocating the use of condoms as this could be misinterpreted.
"We realise that we are an Islamic country and we have to do things carefully," he told a press conference yesterday in conjunction with the International AIDS Memorial Day (IAMD).
"That is why we have given this duty to non-governmental organisations like the Malaysian AIDS Council."
Dr Jalal, of the AIDS/STD unit, said the ministry and the government were concerned about the rising number of people being infected every year.
"Of course, we are worried. If not, we would not be working hard. We will not give up. We will continue to educate."
Seventy per cent of the nearly 75,000 people with HIV/AIDS are Injecting Drug Users (IDUs).
Existing efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS has so far been targeted at IDUs, sex workers and homosexuals.
However, the steady rise of HIV/AIDS among sexually-active heterosexuals, not only among marginalised communities but also among the public, is worrying the government and NGOs.
Dr Jalal said the government understood that condoms were the answer to preventing HIV transmission among marginal- ised groups like sex workers, IDUs and the public.
Citing the needle and syringe exchange programme (NSEP) introduced last year, Dr Jalal said needles and syringes were also handed out through NGOs.
The NSEP falls under the National Strategic Plan on the Control and Prevention of HIV/AIDS, on which the ministry has spent RM27 million.
"The important thing is to prevent HIV/AIDS from spreading. We have to give enough information to all levels of society. But changing knowledge to behaviour is not easy."
Malaysian AIDS Foundation trustee Datuk Zaman Khan, while agreeing the use of condoms was the best method of controlling HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, said abstinence was still the best option.
"There are so many taboos in this country. Not a single religion on earth encourages people to have intercourse before marriage but in reality, it happens.
"I am not trying to encourage heterosexual practices but the truth is one way to stop HIV from spreading is by the use of condoms. The problem we have is about how to promote their use."
MAC president Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said promoting the use of condoms had been a challenge over the past 20 years.
"Delaying sexual practices and having monogamous relationships are ideals but these do not necessarily happen in real life. We have to match that with pragmatism."
Surveys, she said, had shown that Malaysians were having sex at a young age but many were not protecting themselves.
Asked how the taboo associated with condoms could be broken, she said: "I wish I knew a simple way, but there isn’t one.
"We know what works and we have to get people to realise that they have to protect themselves. For those who are against condom promotion, it’s about protecting public health and educating the young.
"It does not mean that with condom promotion we are going to stand at every street corner and shout ‘condoms’ or have a condom parade.
"Those things are not in keeping with our culture, but it does mean that we have to educate people about risks."
IAMD is observed worldwide on the third Sunday in May to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS.
Earlier, HIV-positive persons and representatives from margi- nalised communities, NGOs and the government, released 21 doves to represent the 21 years HIV/AIDS has been in the country.