Doctors and nurses to be redeployed
KUALA LUMPUR: A nationwide re-deployment exercise of doctors and nurses involving 117 government hospitals is underway to serve the people better.
“Last year, 61 of the 117 hospitals nationwide had a bed occupancy rate of below 50%, the lowest being Hospital Daro in Sarawak with 9.8%.
“This is in contrast to those filled to the brim, like the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sabah with 99% bed occupancy rate and over 1,000 outpatients daily,” he said in an interview here yesterday.
Dr Chua attributed this to the rigid deployment method used – one doctor for 28 beds and one doctor for 50 out-patients daily.
He said a minimum of seven doctors have been allocated for each district hospital but some have up to 10.
The mushrooming of hospitals in recent years further aggravated the “so-called” shortage of some 3,000 doctors and 4,000 nurses in the country, he added.
There are 11,500 doctors and 28,000 nurses in the government hospitals nationwide.
Dr Chua said construction of new hospitals would also be put on hold for the Government to focus on the consolidation exercise.
The 117 hospitals have 28,633 beds with 5,456 beds available in special medical institutions like Pusat Tibi Negara, Hospital Bahagia, Hospital Permai, Hospital Bukit Padang, Hospital Sentosa and RCBM Sarawak.
“Deployment from now on will be based on the actual workload,” he said, adding that transfers would be confined within the state to reduce the impact on those involved.
Nurses would soon undergo the same exercise, he added.
Malaysian Medical News: keeping you up to date with news sourced from various online sites, put in one place for your convenience, with a searchable archive
Monday, August 16, 2004
KL stops hiring foreign doctors
MALAYSIA has kicked off a major revamp of its health-care sector with plans to phase out its reliance on foreign doctors and to redeploy manpower nationwide to tackle the problem of overworked hospitals and underutilised ones.
The Health Ministry has terminated the services of 22 foreign doctors, citing communication problems and incompetence as reasons, as it moves towards phasing out foreign doctors completely by 2009.
'We are not keen to continue our reliance on foreign doctors,' Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said on Friday.
The only foreign doctors still being recruited are from Myanmar as they can speak English and were trained in Britain, he said.
About RM40 million (S$18 million) is spent annually on salaries for some 730 foreign doctors from Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Myanmar and Canada.
A nationwide redeployment of doctors and nurses at 117 government hospitals is also under way.
'Deployment will be based on actual workload,' he said.
There are 11,500 doctors and 28,000 nurses in government hospitals nationwide.
Last year, 61 hospitals had a bed occupancy rate of less than 50 per cent. -- New Straits Times, The Star/Asia News Network
MALAYSIA has kicked off a major revamp of its health-care sector with plans to phase out its reliance on foreign doctors and to redeploy manpower nationwide to tackle the problem of overworked hospitals and underutilised ones.
The Health Ministry has terminated the services of 22 foreign doctors, citing communication problems and incompetence as reasons, as it moves towards phasing out foreign doctors completely by 2009.
'We are not keen to continue our reliance on foreign doctors,' Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said on Friday.
The only foreign doctors still being recruited are from Myanmar as they can speak English and were trained in Britain, he said.
About RM40 million (S$18 million) is spent annually on salaries for some 730 foreign doctors from Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Myanmar and Canada.
A nationwide redeployment of doctors and nurses at 117 government hospitals is also under way.
'Deployment will be based on actual workload,' he said.
There are 11,500 doctors and 28,000 nurses in government hospitals nationwide.
Last year, 61 hospitals had a bed occupancy rate of less than 50 per cent. -- New Straits Times, The Star/Asia News Network
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Firetraps in hospitals
PETALING JAYA: Some private hospitals are potential firetraps and also operating without a valid licence from the Health Ministry.
Sources said such hospitals, including one in Kuala Lumpur that was well-known, had not obtained fire safety certificates from the Fire and Rescue Department because they had failed to meet safety requirements – staffing and physical facilities on fire safety – as required under the Private Hospitals Act 1971.
“The electrical wiring of some of these hospitals are also in question while some did not have fire insurance coverage,” said a source, who noted that the Act to regulate private hospitals stopped short of empowering the ministry to shut down such illegal hospitals.
“Such illegal hospitals are simply exposing patients, in particular, to danger,” said a senior medical specialist.
He pointed out that the quality of electrical wiring in hospitals was important because hospitals used various equipment, including those needing a high voltage.
The specialist also said that hospitals should conduct regular fire drills to train and familiarise staff on how to cope with emergencies – from the handling of equipment like fire extinguishers to evacuating patients, who were not so mobile, to safety.
“The ministry should expose hospitals operating illegally for the public to make an informed choice.
“Patients can also ask hospitals whether they had a valid licence before deciding to seek treatment,” said the specialist.
Fomca adviser Datuk Prof Hamdan Adnan said the Fire and Rescue Department should alert local authorities, who were empowered to close down illegal premises, to act on illegal hospitals.
“The department is equally responsible if it failed to alert the authorities concerned should a fire break out in the illegal hospitals,” he added.
PETALING JAYA: Some private hospitals are potential firetraps and also operating without a valid licence from the Health Ministry.
Sources said such hospitals, including one in Kuala Lumpur that was well-known, had not obtained fire safety certificates from the Fire and Rescue Department because they had failed to meet safety requirements – staffing and physical facilities on fire safety – as required under the Private Hospitals Act 1971.
“The electrical wiring of some of these hospitals are also in question while some did not have fire insurance coverage,” said a source, who noted that the Act to regulate private hospitals stopped short of empowering the ministry to shut down such illegal hospitals.
“Such illegal hospitals are simply exposing patients, in particular, to danger,” said a senior medical specialist.
He pointed out that the quality of electrical wiring in hospitals was important because hospitals used various equipment, including those needing a high voltage.
The specialist also said that hospitals should conduct regular fire drills to train and familiarise staff on how to cope with emergencies – from the handling of equipment like fire extinguishers to evacuating patients, who were not so mobile, to safety.
“The ministry should expose hospitals operating illegally for the public to make an informed choice.
“Patients can also ask hospitals whether they had a valid licence before deciding to seek treatment,” said the specialist.
Fomca adviser Datuk Prof Hamdan Adnan said the Fire and Rescue Department should alert local authorities, who were empowered to close down illegal premises, to act on illegal hospitals.
“The department is equally responsible if it failed to alert the authorities concerned should a fire break out in the illegal hospitals,” he added.
Mercy Malaysia needs RM2 million for Sudan relief
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) needs to raise at least RM2 million to fund the medical assistance and support the administration for Sudan relief work.
Mercy Malaysia Team Leader and Exco member Dr Heng Aik Cheng said Mercy Malaysia planned to use 96 per cent of the fund for medical aid and the remaining four per cent for administration.
He said Mercy Malaysia proposed to set up a proper Maternity and Child Health Clinic for the women and children who made up 75 per cent of the population in West Darfur.
So far, Mercy Malaysia had collected about RM5,000.
"We are also appealing for medical volunteers as well as non-medical personnel to contact us for the project. Besides, we also need Arabic-speaking volunteers to serve as translators," he told a press briefing on Mercy Malaysia's visit to Sudan at its headquarters here Friday.
Dr Heng said there were only 84 beds to accommodate 8,000 internally displaced persons in El-Geneina hospital in West Darfur.
The worst part was that 8,000 IDPs are only from the Al-Riyadh camp, one of four camps in El-Geneina with 8,000 to 12,000 population per camp which faced main health problems such as Hepatitis B, malaria, bloody diarrhoea and malnutrition.
"I led a team of four to El-Geneina last two weeks and we returned yesterday. During our visit, we observed the condition of the hospital.
"From the observation, we have also decided on what kind of medical assistance need to be given to the IDPs in Al-Riyadh camp," he said.
To build cooperation in terms of medical assistance, Mercy Malaysia had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sudanese Minister of Health Abu Salam.
"The MoU spells the readiness of Mercy as the only Asian country non-governmental organisation (NGO) to renovate the hospital, put up shelters and provide the doctors and child specialists," he said.
Six relief teams involving about 60 staff would be sent to Sudan, with the first team scheduled to leave on Aug 20.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) needs to raise at least RM2 million to fund the medical assistance and support the administration for Sudan relief work.
Mercy Malaysia Team Leader and Exco member Dr Heng Aik Cheng said Mercy Malaysia planned to use 96 per cent of the fund for medical aid and the remaining four per cent for administration.
He said Mercy Malaysia proposed to set up a proper Maternity and Child Health Clinic for the women and children who made up 75 per cent of the population in West Darfur.
So far, Mercy Malaysia had collected about RM5,000.
"We are also appealing for medical volunteers as well as non-medical personnel to contact us for the project. Besides, we also need Arabic-speaking volunteers to serve as translators," he told a press briefing on Mercy Malaysia's visit to Sudan at its headquarters here Friday.
Dr Heng said there were only 84 beds to accommodate 8,000 internally displaced persons in El-Geneina hospital in West Darfur.
The worst part was that 8,000 IDPs are only from the Al-Riyadh camp, one of four camps in El-Geneina with 8,000 to 12,000 population per camp which faced main health problems such as Hepatitis B, malaria, bloody diarrhoea and malnutrition.
"I led a team of four to El-Geneina last two weeks and we returned yesterday. During our visit, we observed the condition of the hospital.
"From the observation, we have also decided on what kind of medical assistance need to be given to the IDPs in Al-Riyadh camp," he said.
To build cooperation in terms of medical assistance, Mercy Malaysia had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sudanese Minister of Health Abu Salam.
"The MoU spells the readiness of Mercy as the only Asian country non-governmental organisation (NGO) to renovate the hospital, put up shelters and provide the doctors and child specialists," he said.
Six relief teams involving about 60 staff would be sent to Sudan, with the first team scheduled to leave on Aug 20.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Government ‘dissatisfied’ with foreign doctors
PENANG: Malaysia spends RM40mil a year on foreign doctors but is not getting the expected standard of healthcare service from them, the Health Ministry said.
Parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon said between 10% and 20% of the 700 foreign doctors in the country had to be repatriated because of sub-standard performance.
“We are looking into employing more doctors from Myanmar as most of them meet our expectation. This could be due to the British system still used in their medical curriculum.
“We need to employ foreign doctors to fill the shortage (in the healthcare service). But at the same time, we do not want to be compromised by sub-standard doctors,” he told reporters during a visit to the Penang Hospital yesterday.
He said the foreign doctors employed currently were from countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Egypt.
Lee said one-stop ambulance call centres would be set up in eight locations including Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Perlis and Johor Baru by the end of the month.
Penang Hospital Emergency Department head Dr Teo Aik Howe said the Penang Emergency Ambulance Radio Link (PEARL) would start by the end of the year to link all ambulance operators in the state.
Among those involved in the PEARL project were the state health department, Penang Hospital, Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission, Penang Municipal Council and Motorola.
He said the department planned to set up motorcycle squads, which will provide first aid to those who need it urgently while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Lee said ambulances from health clinics would, starting next week, be used to help in emergencies, adding that such a community-based ambulance service would ease the burden on government hospitals.
PENANG: Malaysia spends RM40mil a year on foreign doctors but is not getting the expected standard of healthcare service from them, the Health Ministry said.
Parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon said between 10% and 20% of the 700 foreign doctors in the country had to be repatriated because of sub-standard performance.
“We are looking into employing more doctors from Myanmar as most of them meet our expectation. This could be due to the British system still used in their medical curriculum.
“We need to employ foreign doctors to fill the shortage (in the healthcare service). But at the same time, we do not want to be compromised by sub-standard doctors,” he told reporters during a visit to the Penang Hospital yesterday.
He said the foreign doctors employed currently were from countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Egypt.
Lee said one-stop ambulance call centres would be set up in eight locations including Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Perlis and Johor Baru by the end of the month.
Penang Hospital Emergency Department head Dr Teo Aik Howe said the Penang Emergency Ambulance Radio Link (PEARL) would start by the end of the year to link all ambulance operators in the state.
Among those involved in the PEARL project were the state health department, Penang Hospital, Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission, Penang Municipal Council and Motorola.
He said the department planned to set up motorcycle squads, which will provide first aid to those who need it urgently while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Lee said ambulances from health clinics would, starting next week, be used to help in emergencies, adding that such a community-based ambulance service would ease the burden on government hospitals.
Up to 20pc foreign docs booted out: Ministry
Penang: Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Lee Kah Choon disclosed that between 10 and 20 per cent foreign doctors and medical experts recruited by the Government to work in Malaysia had to be sent back as their service was not up to the standard required.
Language, background and cultural differences were among the reasons why they had failed to perform their duties well, he told reporters when visiting Penang Hospital, here, Friday.
He said at present, most foreign doctors in Malaysia were from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and lately, the Government was eyeing to recruit more doctors from Myanmar as they had been said to have the capability in providing good service.
On the cost borne by Government in recruiting foreign doctors, Lee said the Government spent about RM40 million annually to pay their salaries.
“The Government need not have to spend that much money if we have enough local doctors,” he said, and added that the Health Ministry was currently facing a shortage of not only doctors, but also nurses and pharmacists as well.
Despite the shortage, the Government would continue to provide the best health service including recruiting foreign doctors so that service to the people would not be affected, he said.
Presently, there were between 600 and 700 foreign doctors and medical experts working in hospitals nationwide, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, he said.
On the shortage of ambulance service, Lee said the Health Ministry would establish eight ambulance co-ordinating centres to optimise the use of work force and vehicles.
With the setting up of such centres, all ambulances belonging to hospitals and health clinics would be co-ordinated to give wider coverage, he said.
“We do not want to see some drivers and paramedics not fully utilised in certain areas,” he said adding the project would be implemented in phases starting this month. - Bernama
Penang: Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Lee Kah Choon disclosed that between 10 and 20 per cent foreign doctors and medical experts recruited by the Government to work in Malaysia had to be sent back as their service was not up to the standard required.
Language, background and cultural differences were among the reasons why they had failed to perform their duties well, he told reporters when visiting Penang Hospital, here, Friday.
He said at present, most foreign doctors in Malaysia were from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and lately, the Government was eyeing to recruit more doctors from Myanmar as they had been said to have the capability in providing good service.
On the cost borne by Government in recruiting foreign doctors, Lee said the Government spent about RM40 million annually to pay their salaries.
“The Government need not have to spend that much money if we have enough local doctors,” he said, and added that the Health Ministry was currently facing a shortage of not only doctors, but also nurses and pharmacists as well.
Despite the shortage, the Government would continue to provide the best health service including recruiting foreign doctors so that service to the people would not be affected, he said.
Presently, there were between 600 and 700 foreign doctors and medical experts working in hospitals nationwide, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, he said.
On the shortage of ambulance service, Lee said the Health Ministry would establish eight ambulance co-ordinating centres to optimise the use of work force and vehicles.
With the setting up of such centres, all ambulances belonging to hospitals and health clinics would be co-ordinated to give wider coverage, he said.
“We do not want to see some drivers and paramedics not fully utilised in certain areas,” he said adding the project would be implemented in phases starting this month. - Bernama
Friday, August 13, 2004
Five million Malaysians suffer from mental woes
ABOUT five million Malaysians are suffering from different types of mental problems, and the number is on the rise, reported China Press.
It said that in 1996, adult mental patients accounted for 11% of the population and children, 13%.
The number of adult patients had now gone up to 20-25%, it said.
The daily quoted Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon as saying that the jump in the number of such patients resulted from the fast diagnosis of the problems and public awareness of the illness.
“The public has started to realise that mental problems are not incurable and that has resulted in more patients coming forward to ask for help,” he said.
However, he said that many people still felt that having mental problems was a stigma, which prevented them from seeking help from doctors and experts.
He said in order to overcome the problem, the ministry would promote various activities, including encouraging the people to have a mindset change towards mental patients.
Malaysian Mental Health Organisation president Dr Rabindran Gonzaga told the daily that 90% of these patients would not hurt others.
He said many people tend to stay away from these patients as they were frightened by sensational news.
ABOUT five million Malaysians are suffering from different types of mental problems, and the number is on the rise, reported China Press.
It said that in 1996, adult mental patients accounted for 11% of the population and children, 13%.
The number of adult patients had now gone up to 20-25%, it said.
The daily quoted Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon as saying that the jump in the number of such patients resulted from the fast diagnosis of the problems and public awareness of the illness.
“The public has started to realise that mental problems are not incurable and that has resulted in more patients coming forward to ask for help,” he said.
However, he said that many people still felt that having mental problems was a stigma, which prevented them from seeking help from doctors and experts.
He said in order to overcome the problem, the ministry would promote various activities, including encouraging the people to have a mindset change towards mental patients.
Malaysian Mental Health Organisation president Dr Rabindran Gonzaga told the daily that 90% of these patients would not hurt others.
He said many people tend to stay away from these patients as they were frightened by sensational news.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
200 medical students left in the lurch
OVER 200 students pursuing medical degrees overseas are now left in the lurch, as the universities they had enrolled in are not recognised by the Malaysian Government, Tamil Nesan reported.
Quoting MIC vice-president Datuk S. Veerasingam, the paper said students who returned to Malaysia with these unrecognised certificates face numerous problems when applying to practise medicine in the country.
Indian students were among those studying medicine abroad due to the shortage of places in local public universities, he said, advising those concerned to check with the Education Ministry on the suitability of their courses.
Veerasingam, who was speaking at a Puteri MIC gathering in Tapah, Perak said students applying for overseas courses could consult the MIC.
On a related matter, the daily reported that Education Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein would launch a three-day seminar for Tamil schoolteachers tomorrow.
Quoting MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, the paper said the seminar would be held at Universiti Malaya.
Malaysia Nanban reported on the places for non-bumiputra students at the Mara Junior Science Colleges.
It quoted Mara director-general Datuk Jamani Mohd Nor as saying that only 70% of the 400 places allocated for non-bumiputra students in these colleges had been taken up.
OVER 200 students pursuing medical degrees overseas are now left in the lurch, as the universities they had enrolled in are not recognised by the Malaysian Government, Tamil Nesan reported.
Quoting MIC vice-president Datuk S. Veerasingam, the paper said students who returned to Malaysia with these unrecognised certificates face numerous problems when applying to practise medicine in the country.
Indian students were among those studying medicine abroad due to the shortage of places in local public universities, he said, advising those concerned to check with the Education Ministry on the suitability of their courses.
Veerasingam, who was speaking at a Puteri MIC gathering in Tapah, Perak said students applying for overseas courses could consult the MIC.
On a related matter, the daily reported that Education Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein would launch a three-day seminar for Tamil schoolteachers tomorrow.
Quoting MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, the paper said the seminar would be held at Universiti Malaya.
Malaysia Nanban reported on the places for non-bumiputra students at the Mara Junior Science Colleges.
It quoted Mara director-general Datuk Jamani Mohd Nor as saying that only 70% of the 400 places allocated for non-bumiputra students in these colleges had been taken up.
Uni to accept offshore doctors
MONASH University will set up the nation's first offshore medical school next year in a move that could allow more than 100 foreign graduates from its Malaysian campus to practise in Australia without further training.
The Australian Medical Council, the body responsible for accrediting graduates from medical schools, is holding talks with the Melbourne institution about whether to permit the graduates to practise in Australia without additional study.
"It's a bit up in the air because the AMC, under its present constitution, can't accredit courses outside of Australia," said the council's executive officer, Ian Frank. But Monash vice-chancellor Richard Larkins said the Malaysian course would be on par with the medical degree offered in Melbourne, so there should be no issue with Australian accreditation of international students.
"There would have to be the AMC accreditation of the program, but since it's the same program that occurs in Australia, and we're making sure the quality of the facilities and all the other activities are comparable, we don't anticipate any problem," Professor Larkins said.
Mr Frank said he was concerned Monash had indicated it would not differentiate between graduates from its Australian school and the Malaysian school.
MONASH University will set up the nation's first offshore medical school next year in a move that could allow more than 100 foreign graduates from its Malaysian campus to practise in Australia without further training.
The Australian Medical Council, the body responsible for accrediting graduates from medical schools, is holding talks with the Melbourne institution about whether to permit the graduates to practise in Australia without additional study.
"It's a bit up in the air because the AMC, under its present constitution, can't accredit courses outside of Australia," said the council's executive officer, Ian Frank. But Monash vice-chancellor Richard Larkins said the Malaysian course would be on par with the medical degree offered in Melbourne, so there should be no issue with Australian accreditation of international students.
"There would have to be the AMC accreditation of the program, but since it's the same program that occurs in Australia, and we're making sure the quality of the facilities and all the other activities are comparable, we don't anticipate any problem," Professor Larkins said.
Mr Frank said he was concerned Monash had indicated it would not differentiate between graduates from its Australian school and the Malaysian school.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Malaysian women have one-in-19 chance of getting breast cancer
A Malaysian woman has a one-in-19 chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime if no other causes of mortality are in operation throughout her life.
However, what is more worrying is that many Malaysian women tend to seek traditional remedies for the disease and only turn to the hospital when it is too late.
“It is a common trend that almost all the (cancer) patients we see go for herbal or traditional treatment first before coming to us, and by then it is sometimes too late,” said Dr Hisham Abdullah, head of the Endocrine Department at Putrajaya Hospital.
“We are not against traditional medicine (practitioners) but if they have a magic bullet to treat (cancer), then come forward and share it with us. We can put it on trial and do some research.”
He told reporters this after the launching of the ‘Avon Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer Campaign’ and the handing over of an ultrasound machine to Hospital Putrajaya which was officiated by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek yesterday.
According to Malaysia’s first National Cancer Registry Report in 2002, breast cancer accounted for 30.4 per cent of the 4,337 cancer cases among Malaysian women of all ethnic and age groups beyond the age of 20, making it the commonest type of cancer among women.
A recent report in the World Journal of Surgery also showed that breast cancer in Malaysian women occurs more commonly in younger women aged 40 to 49 compared with Western women who develop it when they are 50 to 59.
Dr Hisham said the incidence of breast cancer among the younger group was high and studies were being done to determine the cause, apart from genetic factors.
“There are a lot of possibilities and some research is being done to look into this,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Chua said that according to the Penang Cancer Registry, only 15.4 per cent of breast cancer patients go early for medical treatment, unlike in the West, where almost 75 per cent seek early treatment.
“It is likely that a negative socio-cultural perception of breast cancer, and strong belief in traditional medicine in developing countries have contributed to this delay in seeking treatment at hospitals and clinics,” he said.
He said many Malaysian women do not practise breast self-examination and a survey by the Ministry in 1996 showed that only a third of women practised self-examination or had their breasts examined by health care providers.
“This figure is low compared to the proposed rate of over 60 per cent that would be necessary for a significant lowering of morbidity and mortality from breast cancer,” said Dr Chua.
Women above 20 are advised to perform breast self-examination regularly while those above 30 are advised to get an annual breast examination by health care providers.
However, a limited study by the National Population and Family Development Board in its clinics in 2002 found that 89 per cent of the respondents did breast self-examination.
“Let us hope this is reflective of the trend nationwide,” said Dr Chua, stressing that women should use the services of the breast clinics in all State hospitals as well as the district hospitals in Muar, Kluang and Taiping.
The RM250,000 Medison Sonace ultrasound scanner donated by Avon Malaysia helps to detect lumps in a patient’s breast upon which further examination can be done using the Mammotome Breast Biopsy System which the company also donated to the hospital last year.
The funds for the purchase of the ultrasound scanner was raised through the sale of Avon’s Pink Ribbon Pin and Woman of Earth Purse Concentre.
Also present were Putrajaya Hospital director Dr Abu Bakar Mohamud, Avon Malaysia president Mansoor Wan Abdullah and Avon’s Celebrity spokesperson Erra Fazira.
A Malaysian woman has a one-in-19 chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime if no other causes of mortality are in operation throughout her life.
However, what is more worrying is that many Malaysian women tend to seek traditional remedies for the disease and only turn to the hospital when it is too late.
“It is a common trend that almost all the (cancer) patients we see go for herbal or traditional treatment first before coming to us, and by then it is sometimes too late,” said Dr Hisham Abdullah, head of the Endocrine Department at Putrajaya Hospital.
“We are not against traditional medicine (practitioners) but if they have a magic bullet to treat (cancer), then come forward and share it with us. We can put it on trial and do some research.”
He told reporters this after the launching of the ‘Avon Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer Campaign’ and the handing over of an ultrasound machine to Hospital Putrajaya which was officiated by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek yesterday.
According to Malaysia’s first National Cancer Registry Report in 2002, breast cancer accounted for 30.4 per cent of the 4,337 cancer cases among Malaysian women of all ethnic and age groups beyond the age of 20, making it the commonest type of cancer among women.
A recent report in the World Journal of Surgery also showed that breast cancer in Malaysian women occurs more commonly in younger women aged 40 to 49 compared with Western women who develop it when they are 50 to 59.
Dr Hisham said the incidence of breast cancer among the younger group was high and studies were being done to determine the cause, apart from genetic factors.
“There are a lot of possibilities and some research is being done to look into this,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Chua said that according to the Penang Cancer Registry, only 15.4 per cent of breast cancer patients go early for medical treatment, unlike in the West, where almost 75 per cent seek early treatment.
“It is likely that a negative socio-cultural perception of breast cancer, and strong belief in traditional medicine in developing countries have contributed to this delay in seeking treatment at hospitals and clinics,” he said.
He said many Malaysian women do not practise breast self-examination and a survey by the Ministry in 1996 showed that only a third of women practised self-examination or had their breasts examined by health care providers.
“This figure is low compared to the proposed rate of over 60 per cent that would be necessary for a significant lowering of morbidity and mortality from breast cancer,” said Dr Chua.
Women above 20 are advised to perform breast self-examination regularly while those above 30 are advised to get an annual breast examination by health care providers.
However, a limited study by the National Population and Family Development Board in its clinics in 2002 found that 89 per cent of the respondents did breast self-examination.
“Let us hope this is reflective of the trend nationwide,” said Dr Chua, stressing that women should use the services of the breast clinics in all State hospitals as well as the district hospitals in Muar, Kluang and Taiping.
The RM250,000 Medison Sonace ultrasound scanner donated by Avon Malaysia helps to detect lumps in a patient’s breast upon which further examination can be done using the Mammotome Breast Biopsy System which the company also donated to the hospital last year.
The funds for the purchase of the ultrasound scanner was raised through the sale of Avon’s Pink Ribbon Pin and Woman of Earth Purse Concentre.
Also present were Putrajaya Hospital director Dr Abu Bakar Mohamud, Avon Malaysia president Mansoor Wan Abdullah and Avon’s Celebrity spokesperson Erra Fazira.
MMA lauds government directive on clinical service
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has given the thumbs-up to the Government’s directive requiring all district-level hospital directors and health officers to do clinical work.
MMA president Datuk Dr N. Arumugam said the move might help overcome some of the critical shortage of doctors experienced in many districts.
The directive was announced by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek on Monday.
Under the directive, directors and health officers are required to be on call and do ward rounds and to treat patients at the outpatient department.
However, he said it was up to the officers to decide how many hours they want to set aside for clinical work.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has given the thumbs-up to the Government’s directive requiring all district-level hospital directors and health officers to do clinical work.
MMA president Datuk Dr N. Arumugam said the move might help overcome some of the critical shortage of doctors experienced in many districts.
The directive was announced by Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek on Monday.
Under the directive, directors and health officers are required to be on call and do ward rounds and to treat patients at the outpatient department.
However, he said it was up to the officers to decide how many hours they want to set aside for clinical work.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Clinical work made compulsory for hospital directors and health officers
KUALA LUMPUR: Clinical work is now compulsory for about 300 district-level hospital directors and health officers as part of the Health Ministry's efforts to boost its human resources.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said these doctors should handle management and administration besides clinical governance.
"Doing clinical work will increase their knowledge and skills. It will be a condition as part of their competency evaluation for promotion.
"Their clinical work will be incorporated into the competency level. If they don't do it, it will be susahlah (difficult). This will also lower the perception that doctors who are directors are only warming their seats," he told reporters on Monday after meeting state health officers, hospital directors and division officers.
KUALA LUMPUR: Clinical work is now compulsory for about 300 district-level hospital directors and health officers as part of the Health Ministry's efforts to boost its human resources.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said these doctors should handle management and administration besides clinical governance.
"Doing clinical work will increase their knowledge and skills. It will be a condition as part of their competency evaluation for promotion.
"Their clinical work will be incorporated into the competency level. If they don't do it, it will be susahlah (difficult). This will also lower the perception that doctors who are directors are only warming their seats," he told reporters on Monday after meeting state health officers, hospital directors and division officers.
Health: Beware the deadly link
PEOPLE who have diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, be it heart attack or stroke.
The risk of heart failure for them is two to three times greater than for non-diabetic people, while stroke occurs twice as often in people with diabetes and high blood pressure, compared with those who only have high blood pressure.
Professor S.P. Chan, president of Malaysia Diabetes Association, says that many people tend to be unaware of the link between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. For diabetics, this lack of awareness can be dangerous.
“People are generally more worried about their heart, but do not realise that a heart attack or stroke is highly predisposed to those with diabetes,” says Chan, an endocrinologist and diabetologist at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre who has more than 20 years’ experience in the field.
“Therefore, if one is a diabetic, one should also be treated for cardiovascular diseases.”
Chan says the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study (CARDS), which was presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, plays an important role in reducing the risk and burden of diabetes and cardiovascular-related deaths.
CARDS, the largest endeavour specifically designed to study the effects of statin (a cholesterol-fighting drug) in diabetes patients, ended almost two years earlier than expected due to the emergence of significant findings.
Through the study, more than 2,800 people with Type 2 diabetes, no history of heart disease and relatively low levels of cholesterol, were found to have notable reduction in heart attacks and strokes after being treated with atorvastatin 10mg, a cholesterol-lowering medication. Patients treated with this drug had a 37 per cent reduction in major cardiovascular diseases, which included heart attacks, strokes and cardiac resuscitation, among others.
CARDS, which was initiated in Britain and Ireland, is a collaboration between Pfizer, University College London, Diabetes United Kingdom and the British Department of Health. This second landmark atorvastatin study ended early due to a significant cardiovascular benefit seen in patients.
Type 2 growing at epidemic rate
Says Chan: “Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes is increasing at epidemic proportions worldwide, and an estimated 170 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The majority of people with diabetes, roughly 65 per cent, will suffer a heart attack or stroke, a rate that is up to four times higher than adults without diabetes.”
Of the estimated 1.2 million diabetic cases in Malaysia, 98 per cent have Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, a situation where the body is unable to make enough or properly utilise insulin.
“To make it worse, most diabetics were not aware that they had the disease, as half of them do not show any classical symptoms of diabetes. It comes as a big shock to them to learn that they have diabetes,” says Chan.
“Cardiovascular complications also occur at an earlier age in people with diabetes. More than half of all the diabetic patients have high blood pressure or elevated total cholesterol levels, and many have both these conditions.”
The scenario is worsened by the fact that cardiovascular disease is responsible for between 50 and 80 per cent of deaths in people with diabetes. Chan says the majority of the global burden of diabetes is due to an increased risk of cardiovascular risk.
“In 2002, heart disease and related diseases of pulmonary circulation was the second principal cause of death in government hospitals, making up some 15 per cent. The majority of heart patients in Malaysia are in their 40s and 50s, while in other parts of the world, it is 50 and above. We are seeing a trend in Malaysia where younger people are becoming diabetics, and experts are attributing this growth to genetics, obesity and lack of exercise.
“Besides that, 70 to 75 per cent of diabetics die due not to kidney failure or limb amputations, but to a heart attack or stroke. I think the urgency in preventing diabetes and keeping it at bay has not sunk in with the general public. There is no realisation that diabetes and heart attack are connected. Diabetes is one of the main reasons why diabetics develop cardiovascular diseases.”
Chan says that over the years, she has found more cases of younger people becoming diabetics.
“The focus has to be on preventing diabetics from suffering cardiovascular complications. If you have diabetes, do not overlook the risk factors like hypertension and lipid disorder. It is crucial that they be treated aggressively to prevent diabetics from developing malignant complications,” she says.
“The wrong emphasis has resulted in diabetics ignoring the risk factors. They get so worried about wanting to look after their heart that they forget that it is the diabetes that has caused the heart problem. Diabetes is insidious and it can take five to seven years before it surfaces and is detected.”
Lifestyle, says Chan, is an obvious factor that determines the development of diabetes.
“People are more and more sedentary in their lifestyles, and many are underestimating their individual risk in contracting diabetes. Because they do not think they are at risk, they therefore do nothing to prevent diabetes,” says Chan.
“And our achievement-oriented approach to life is not helping. Instead of looking after our health, people are spending long hours at work and children too are no longer going out to play. If this goes on, the greatest worry is that we will see a further increase in Type 2 diabetes, especially among the young.”
Benefits of using statins
National Heart Institute senior consultant cardiologist and Cardiology Department head, Datuk Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari, said the CARDS data has added to the growing evidence that supports the early and significant benefits of treating patients with statins.
“We now have the option to treat high-risk patients at an earlier stage and hence, better the chances of preventing a heart disease or stroke,” she says.
“The CARDS results have shown that cholesterol-lowering treatment such as atorvastatin is beneficial to patients with diabetes.”
The National Heart Institute had been administering the atorvastatin drug in its heart patients for almost six years now.
“We look at the heart patient’s cholesterol level because different statins have different strengths. Atorvastatin is the most potent of the statins, but not all patients will need it. A patient with a mildly elevated cholesterol level can do with a mild statin but a patient with a high cholesterol level will require the most potent statin and in bigger doses, together with a combination of other medication.
“I believe we should look at the quality of life. We advise patients to cut down on high cholesterol in their food and if they cannot achieve the targeted cholesterol level, then they can use a statin. It is very safe.”
PEOPLE who have diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, be it heart attack or stroke.
The risk of heart failure for them is two to three times greater than for non-diabetic people, while stroke occurs twice as often in people with diabetes and high blood pressure, compared with those who only have high blood pressure.
Professor S.P. Chan, president of Malaysia Diabetes Association, says that many people tend to be unaware of the link between diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. For diabetics, this lack of awareness can be dangerous.
“People are generally more worried about their heart, but do not realise that a heart attack or stroke is highly predisposed to those with diabetes,” says Chan, an endocrinologist and diabetologist at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre who has more than 20 years’ experience in the field.
“Therefore, if one is a diabetic, one should also be treated for cardiovascular diseases.”
Chan says the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study (CARDS), which was presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, plays an important role in reducing the risk and burden of diabetes and cardiovascular-related deaths.
CARDS, the largest endeavour specifically designed to study the effects of statin (a cholesterol-fighting drug) in diabetes patients, ended almost two years earlier than expected due to the emergence of significant findings.
Through the study, more than 2,800 people with Type 2 diabetes, no history of heart disease and relatively low levels of cholesterol, were found to have notable reduction in heart attacks and strokes after being treated with atorvastatin 10mg, a cholesterol-lowering medication. Patients treated with this drug had a 37 per cent reduction in major cardiovascular diseases, which included heart attacks, strokes and cardiac resuscitation, among others.
CARDS, which was initiated in Britain and Ireland, is a collaboration between Pfizer, University College London, Diabetes United Kingdom and the British Department of Health. This second landmark atorvastatin study ended early due to a significant cardiovascular benefit seen in patients.
Type 2 growing at epidemic rate
Says Chan: “Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes is increasing at epidemic proportions worldwide, and an estimated 170 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The majority of people with diabetes, roughly 65 per cent, will suffer a heart attack or stroke, a rate that is up to four times higher than adults without diabetes.”
Of the estimated 1.2 million diabetic cases in Malaysia, 98 per cent have Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, a situation where the body is unable to make enough or properly utilise insulin.
“To make it worse, most diabetics were not aware that they had the disease, as half of them do not show any classical symptoms of diabetes. It comes as a big shock to them to learn that they have diabetes,” says Chan.
“Cardiovascular complications also occur at an earlier age in people with diabetes. More than half of all the diabetic patients have high blood pressure or elevated total cholesterol levels, and many have both these conditions.”
The scenario is worsened by the fact that cardiovascular disease is responsible for between 50 and 80 per cent of deaths in people with diabetes. Chan says the majority of the global burden of diabetes is due to an increased risk of cardiovascular risk.
“In 2002, heart disease and related diseases of pulmonary circulation was the second principal cause of death in government hospitals, making up some 15 per cent. The majority of heart patients in Malaysia are in their 40s and 50s, while in other parts of the world, it is 50 and above. We are seeing a trend in Malaysia where younger people are becoming diabetics, and experts are attributing this growth to genetics, obesity and lack of exercise.
“Besides that, 70 to 75 per cent of diabetics die due not to kidney failure or limb amputations, but to a heart attack or stroke. I think the urgency in preventing diabetes and keeping it at bay has not sunk in with the general public. There is no realisation that diabetes and heart attack are connected. Diabetes is one of the main reasons why diabetics develop cardiovascular diseases.”
Chan says that over the years, she has found more cases of younger people becoming diabetics.
“The focus has to be on preventing diabetics from suffering cardiovascular complications. If you have diabetes, do not overlook the risk factors like hypertension and lipid disorder. It is crucial that they be treated aggressively to prevent diabetics from developing malignant complications,” she says.
“The wrong emphasis has resulted in diabetics ignoring the risk factors. They get so worried about wanting to look after their heart that they forget that it is the diabetes that has caused the heart problem. Diabetes is insidious and it can take five to seven years before it surfaces and is detected.”
Lifestyle, says Chan, is an obvious factor that determines the development of diabetes.
“People are more and more sedentary in their lifestyles, and many are underestimating their individual risk in contracting diabetes. Because they do not think they are at risk, they therefore do nothing to prevent diabetes,” says Chan.
“And our achievement-oriented approach to life is not helping. Instead of looking after our health, people are spending long hours at work and children too are no longer going out to play. If this goes on, the greatest worry is that we will see a further increase in Type 2 diabetes, especially among the young.”
Benefits of using statins
National Heart Institute senior consultant cardiologist and Cardiology Department head, Datuk Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari, said the CARDS data has added to the growing evidence that supports the early and significant benefits of treating patients with statins.
“We now have the option to treat high-risk patients at an earlier stage and hence, better the chances of preventing a heart disease or stroke,” she says.
“The CARDS results have shown that cholesterol-lowering treatment such as atorvastatin is beneficial to patients with diabetes.”
The National Heart Institute had been administering the atorvastatin drug in its heart patients for almost six years now.
“We look at the heart patient’s cholesterol level because different statins have different strengths. Atorvastatin is the most potent of the statins, but not all patients will need it. A patient with a mildly elevated cholesterol level can do with a mild statin but a patient with a high cholesterol level will require the most potent statin and in bigger doses, together with a combination of other medication.
“I believe we should look at the quality of life. We advise patients to cut down on high cholesterol in their food and if they cannot achieve the targeted cholesterol level, then they can use a statin. It is very safe.”
Perak MCA seeks more volunteer docs
IPOH: Perak MCA is looking for volunteer doctors from outside the Kinta Valley to join its community medical team which provides free service to the poor.
Its chairman, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, said some of the doctors in Taiping, Parit Buntar and Kuala Kangsar had shown interest in serving with the community medical team.
“We hope to expand our service to areas outside Kinta Valley so that more people, especially those from the lower income group, can benefit from it.
“Currently we can only provide the service in the Kinta Valley as some of the volunteer doctors are on call even on weekends,” Ong said, adding that the team was established in May.
He said the team, comprising 10 doctors, was led by the Perak MCA Medical Bureau chief Dr Choo Kwong Foong.
“We hope to create an awareness on health and enable those from the lower income group and rural areas to get proper medical care.
“In the long run, we hope to build a community hospital to benefit the poor,” he told reporters after launching the programme at the Ampang Baru community hall here yesterday.
About 200 villagers came for health check-ups and a talk on health by Dr Koh Wai Ke
IPOH: Perak MCA is looking for volunteer doctors from outside the Kinta Valley to join its community medical team which provides free service to the poor.
Its chairman, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, said some of the doctors in Taiping, Parit Buntar and Kuala Kangsar had shown interest in serving with the community medical team.
“We hope to expand our service to areas outside Kinta Valley so that more people, especially those from the lower income group, can benefit from it.
“Currently we can only provide the service in the Kinta Valley as some of the volunteer doctors are on call even on weekends,” Ong said, adding that the team was established in May.
He said the team, comprising 10 doctors, was led by the Perak MCA Medical Bureau chief Dr Choo Kwong Foong.
“We hope to create an awareness on health and enable those from the lower income group and rural areas to get proper medical care.
“In the long run, we hope to build a community hospital to benefit the poor,” he told reporters after launching the programme at the Ampang Baru community hall here yesterday.
About 200 villagers came for health check-ups and a talk on health by Dr Koh Wai Ke
Guess what you should not be eating
The next anti-cancer advertising line could just be this: ready-to-cook, ready-to-serve, ready-to-eat ... and ready-to-die?
For, a year-long study has found that 70 per cent of Malaysians struck by the deadly disease consistently down yummy items like Ikan bilis, ikan masin, belacan and udang kering bought off the shelves of supermarkets.
The study, conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Faculty of Allied Health Science, found that cancer patients, especially those living in coastal states, liked such salty and highly-preserved foods.
"There might be something in the food which causes cancer," said National Cancer Council (Makna) president Datuk Mohd Farid Ariffin.
"We have asked the faculty to do further studies on this. We believe that such foods may be loaded with salt and preservatives." The study, sponsored by Makna, is headed by the Faculty's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics head, Associate Professor Dr Fatimah Arshad.
An official announcement on the study will be made once the research is completed.
Farid said when people ate such food and did not do exercise regularly, the toxins that accumulated in their bodies could not be eliminated easily.
"We know that high levels of nitrate in preservatives are carcinogenic," he said, adding that Malaysians should pay attention to the foods they bought.
"They go into supermarkets and buy ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve and ready-to-eat food items. These may be genetically modified or overly processed. They may not have many nutrients." He said although he did not want to alarm Malaysians, they had to pay attention to their diet as 40,000 new cases of cancer were being seen yearly.
A total of 26,089 cancers were diagnosed in 2002. More than 11,800 were men and over 14,200 were women.
"Cancer is on the rise," said Farid after witnessing the launch of the first major cancer awareness and screening campaign at a hotel today.
In men, the most common cancers are leukaemia, lung, nasopharynx, colon, rectum and prostate. In women, they are leukaemia, breast, cervix, colon, ovary and lung.
Malaysia has the world's highest rate of nasopharyngeal (nose) cancer for females and the second highest rate for males.
Farid said Makna, together with UKM, would also do studies to determine whether diet, cooking oils and cooking styles were factors which caused cancer.
The Chinese tend to suffer from breast, lung, and nasopharyngeal cancer; Indians, mouth, larynx, oesophagus and tongue cancer, and Malays, thyroid cancer, lymphatic leukaemia and lymphoma.
Earlier, Health Ministry's parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon said medical advances had made a third of all cancers preventable and a further one third — if diagnosed early — potentially curable.
He said a woman in Malaysia had one in 19 chance of getting breast cancer and of 100 women afflicted, 30 would have breast cancer. The Makna, Pathlab and Parkson cancer screening campaign offers general health screening, cancer marker screening and breast cancer screening. The campaign will run from Aug 5 to Dec 31 at various Parkson outlets
The next anti-cancer advertising line could just be this: ready-to-cook, ready-to-serve, ready-to-eat ... and ready-to-die?
For, a year-long study has found that 70 per cent of Malaysians struck by the deadly disease consistently down yummy items like Ikan bilis, ikan masin, belacan and udang kering bought off the shelves of supermarkets.
The study, conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Faculty of Allied Health Science, found that cancer patients, especially those living in coastal states, liked such salty and highly-preserved foods.
"There might be something in the food which causes cancer," said National Cancer Council (Makna) president Datuk Mohd Farid Ariffin.
"We have asked the faculty to do further studies on this. We believe that such foods may be loaded with salt and preservatives." The study, sponsored by Makna, is headed by the Faculty's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics head, Associate Professor Dr Fatimah Arshad.
An official announcement on the study will be made once the research is completed.
Farid said when people ate such food and did not do exercise regularly, the toxins that accumulated in their bodies could not be eliminated easily.
"We know that high levels of nitrate in preservatives are carcinogenic," he said, adding that Malaysians should pay attention to the foods they bought.
"They go into supermarkets and buy ready-to-cook and ready-to-serve and ready-to-eat food items. These may be genetically modified or overly processed. They may not have many nutrients." He said although he did not want to alarm Malaysians, they had to pay attention to their diet as 40,000 new cases of cancer were being seen yearly.
A total of 26,089 cancers were diagnosed in 2002. More than 11,800 were men and over 14,200 were women.
"Cancer is on the rise," said Farid after witnessing the launch of the first major cancer awareness and screening campaign at a hotel today.
In men, the most common cancers are leukaemia, lung, nasopharynx, colon, rectum and prostate. In women, they are leukaemia, breast, cervix, colon, ovary and lung.
Malaysia has the world's highest rate of nasopharyngeal (nose) cancer for females and the second highest rate for males.
Farid said Makna, together with UKM, would also do studies to determine whether diet, cooking oils and cooking styles were factors which caused cancer.
The Chinese tend to suffer from breast, lung, and nasopharyngeal cancer; Indians, mouth, larynx, oesophagus and tongue cancer, and Malays, thyroid cancer, lymphatic leukaemia and lymphoma.
Earlier, Health Ministry's parliamentary secretary Lee Kah Choon said medical advances had made a third of all cancers preventable and a further one third — if diagnosed early — potentially curable.
He said a woman in Malaysia had one in 19 chance of getting breast cancer and of 100 women afflicted, 30 would have breast cancer. The Makna, Pathlab and Parkson cancer screening campaign offers general health screening, cancer marker screening and breast cancer screening. The campaign will run from Aug 5 to Dec 31 at various Parkson outlets
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Microbiologist honoured by university
Microbiologist Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, 66, who headed a medical team that discovered the Nipah virus, has been appointed Professor Emeritus of Universiti Malaya.
Dr Lam was named Professor Emeritus at the university's Convocation by its Vice-Chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob.
He was among 12 academics conferred the title.
In a citation read out by the UM Medical Microbiology Head of Department, Assoc Prof Dr Hamimah Hassan, Dr Lam, who had served for 37 years with the university, was described as a man who possessed admirable vision, dedication and commitment.
“Like a beacon on a hill, he provided the path for those he trained and guided them to achieve excellence,” Dr Hamimah said.
“The motto commitment to the path to excellence has served well for those who worked with him,” said Dr Hamimah.
Dr Lam's involvement in emerging infectious diseases led to the discovery of the new virus like the Nipah Virus through the research team that he headed.
The finding automatically placed Universiti Malaya as the main university for viral research particularly after the research's team's efforts in controlling and identifying the cause of several outbreaks like the Enterovirus 71 encephalitis in 1997, the Nipah virus encephalitis in 1998 and the Chickugunya polyarthritis in 1999.
Ipoh-born Dr Lam join UM's Department of Medical Microbiology as a lecturer after earning his PhD in science from the Australian National University in 1966.
Although retired, he is still actively involved in scientific research and currently is the president of the Asia Pacific Society for Medical Virology, which has more than 400 members in 37 countries. – Bernama
Microbiologist Datuk Dr Lam Sai Kit, 66, who headed a medical team that discovered the Nipah virus, has been appointed Professor Emeritus of Universiti Malaya.
Dr Lam was named Professor Emeritus at the university's Convocation by its Vice-Chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob.
He was among 12 academics conferred the title.
In a citation read out by the UM Medical Microbiology Head of Department, Assoc Prof Dr Hamimah Hassan, Dr Lam, who had served for 37 years with the university, was described as a man who possessed admirable vision, dedication and commitment.
“Like a beacon on a hill, he provided the path for those he trained and guided them to achieve excellence,” Dr Hamimah said.
“The motto commitment to the path to excellence has served well for those who worked with him,” said Dr Hamimah.
Dr Lam's involvement in emerging infectious diseases led to the discovery of the new virus like the Nipah Virus through the research team that he headed.
The finding automatically placed Universiti Malaya as the main university for viral research particularly after the research's team's efforts in controlling and identifying the cause of several outbreaks like the Enterovirus 71 encephalitis in 1997, the Nipah virus encephalitis in 1998 and the Chickugunya polyarthritis in 1999.
Ipoh-born Dr Lam join UM's Department of Medical Microbiology as a lecturer after earning his PhD in science from the Australian National University in 1966.
Although retired, he is still actively involved in scientific research and currently is the president of the Asia Pacific Society for Medical Virology, which has more than 400 members in 37 countries. – Bernama
Saturday, August 07, 2004
More housemanship hospitals to solve shortage of doctors
BATU PAHAT: More hospitals will be designated for medical graduates to do their housemanship to ensure that new doctors can practise when they have completed the compulsory one-year stint.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the move would help to solve the problem of shortage of doctors, especially in “busy” hospitals, adding that housemen could help out in providing treatment to patients.
He said five hospitals would be upgraded for the purpose, including the Batu Pahat Hospital which would receive between 12 and 20 housemen next year.
In the next three years, a hospital each in Perak, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak would also be used for the same purpose, he said.
“More medical students will be graduating in the near future and if we cannot provide places for them to do their housemanship, then they cannot practise as doctors,” he said after visiting the Batu Pahat Hospital yesterday.
To date, only 28 of 124 government hospitals take in medical graduates to do their housemanship and from the 1,246 who graduated last year, only 91 could do so due to limited space.
Dr Chua anticipated that about 1,200 medical students from local institutes of higher learning would graduate annually and another 300 would return with a medical degree from abroad.
He said medical students would carry out their housemanship in five areas of specialisation – medical, obstetrics and gynaecology, general surgery, orthopaedics and paediatrics.
Dr Chua said that about RM500,000 had been approved to upgrade equipment and facilities at the Batu Pahat Hospital in anticipation of receiving housemen next year.
On another matter, Dr Chua said government hospitals faced problems in getting foreigners seeking medical treatment here to pay higher rates as they “just refused to pay.”
“For humanitarian reasons, we cannot shoo them away but we will have to find a way to settle this issue,” he said.
BATU PAHAT: More hospitals will be designated for medical graduates to do their housemanship to ensure that new doctors can practise when they have completed the compulsory one-year stint.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the move would help to solve the problem of shortage of doctors, especially in “busy” hospitals, adding that housemen could help out in providing treatment to patients.
He said five hospitals would be upgraded for the purpose, including the Batu Pahat Hospital which would receive between 12 and 20 housemen next year.
In the next three years, a hospital each in Perak, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak would also be used for the same purpose, he said.
“More medical students will be graduating in the near future and if we cannot provide places for them to do their housemanship, then they cannot practise as doctors,” he said after visiting the Batu Pahat Hospital yesterday.
To date, only 28 of 124 government hospitals take in medical graduates to do their housemanship and from the 1,246 who graduated last year, only 91 could do so due to limited space.
Dr Chua anticipated that about 1,200 medical students from local institutes of higher learning would graduate annually and another 300 would return with a medical degree from abroad.
He said medical students would carry out their housemanship in five areas of specialisation – medical, obstetrics and gynaecology, general surgery, orthopaedics and paediatrics.
Dr Chua said that about RM500,000 had been approved to upgrade equipment and facilities at the Batu Pahat Hospital in anticipation of receiving housemen next year.
On another matter, Dr Chua said government hospitals faced problems in getting foreigners seeking medical treatment here to pay higher rates as they “just refused to pay.”
“For humanitarian reasons, we cannot shoo them away but we will have to find a way to settle this issue,” he said.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Guidelines on aid for NGOs
KUALA LUMPUR: The authenticity of NGO health-related activities and the financial background of these organisations will be checked before they qualify for financial assistance under the new Health Ministry guidelines next month.
Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said there were no guidelines at the moment to monitor aid given to NGOs for such activities, which mainly dealt with providing treatment at haemodialysis centres.
“NGOs are also not required to reveal their accounts prior to their applications and the guidelines will allow our officers to check their financial standing.
“Under the guidelines, officers will go down to the ground to check if the NGOs’ activities are genuine,” he said at a press conference after a cheque presentation to underprivileged children organised under the Munchy’s Make Me Well Charity Campaign here yesterday.
Dr Chua said that last year the ministry gave out RM20.2mil to NGOs, of which RM17mil were for treatment subsidies for haemodialysis patients at 68 NGO centres.
From the remaining amount, RM2mil was paid out as matching grants for eight new haemodialysis centres and the rest shared by 13 other NGOs.
Dr Chua said this meant that NGOs had to rely on fund-raising campaigns or private donations, adding that the private sector should exercise their social responsibility to help them.
Dr Chua said he was confident the guidelines would allow aid to be given out within three months of receiving aid applications from NGOs.
“Previously, financial assistance was given out on an ad hoc or case-by-case basis.”
Dr Chua said although there was no limit to the assistance given to NGOs, the government’s “ringgit for ringgit” matching grant for haemodialysis centres was capped at RM380,000.
Earlier, Dr Chua handed out RM100,000 raised under the campaign for nine disabled centres and two children requiring funds for immediate heart and bone marrow surgery.
Five-month-old Paul Prevaiz Gill and Norshafika Izzat Zakaria were the recipients.
KUALA LUMPUR: The authenticity of NGO health-related activities and the financial background of these organisations will be checked before they qualify for financial assistance under the new Health Ministry guidelines next month.
Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said there were no guidelines at the moment to monitor aid given to NGOs for such activities, which mainly dealt with providing treatment at haemodialysis centres.
“NGOs are also not required to reveal their accounts prior to their applications and the guidelines will allow our officers to check their financial standing.
“Under the guidelines, officers will go down to the ground to check if the NGOs’ activities are genuine,” he said at a press conference after a cheque presentation to underprivileged children organised under the Munchy’s Make Me Well Charity Campaign here yesterday.
Dr Chua said that last year the ministry gave out RM20.2mil to NGOs, of which RM17mil were for treatment subsidies for haemodialysis patients at 68 NGO centres.
From the remaining amount, RM2mil was paid out as matching grants for eight new haemodialysis centres and the rest shared by 13 other NGOs.
Dr Chua said this meant that NGOs had to rely on fund-raising campaigns or private donations, adding that the private sector should exercise their social responsibility to help them.
Dr Chua said he was confident the guidelines would allow aid to be given out within three months of receiving aid applications from NGOs.
“Previously, financial assistance was given out on an ad hoc or case-by-case basis.”
Dr Chua said although there was no limit to the assistance given to NGOs, the government’s “ringgit for ringgit” matching grant for haemodialysis centres was capped at RM380,000.
Earlier, Dr Chua handed out RM100,000 raised under the campaign for nine disabled centres and two children requiring funds for immediate heart and bone marrow surgery.
Five-month-old Paul Prevaiz Gill and Norshafika Izzat Zakaria were the recipients.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Ministries to discuss shortage of docs
Melaka: Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek says the country’s doctor shortage has prompted him to discuss with officials from the Higher Education Ministry on ways to alleviate the problem.
The country’s doctor-patient ratio of 1:1,420 is still way behind the 2020 target of 1:650, he said, adding that while the situation in Kuala Lumpur may be good at 1:440, for Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan and Terengganu, the ratio of 1:2,600 was not satisfactory.
“The Government’s aim is not just to increase the number of doctors but also to maintain their quality, as international and local recognition will enable them to do post-graduate courses overseas,” he said at the second convocation of the Melaka Medical College-Manipal where 141 graduates received their scrolls.
At present, he said, the Government recognised medical degrees from 450 foreign universities in 30 countries, as well as degrees from six public and four private local universities.
Two public and seven private universities have also been given the go-ahead to run medical courses, he added.
Medical graduates from universities not recognised by the Government, he said, could undergo training at Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia or Universiti Sains Malaysia before being allowed to sit for examinations and register with the Malaysian Medical Council if they passed in less than three sittings.
There are some 200 medical graduates from unrecognised universities, mostly from Indonesia, India and China. - Bernama
Melaka: Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek says the country’s doctor shortage has prompted him to discuss with officials from the Higher Education Ministry on ways to alleviate the problem.
The country’s doctor-patient ratio of 1:1,420 is still way behind the 2020 target of 1:650, he said, adding that while the situation in Kuala Lumpur may be good at 1:440, for Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan and Terengganu, the ratio of 1:2,600 was not satisfactory.
“The Government’s aim is not just to increase the number of doctors but also to maintain their quality, as international and local recognition will enable them to do post-graduate courses overseas,” he said at the second convocation of the Melaka Medical College-Manipal where 141 graduates received their scrolls.
At present, he said, the Government recognised medical degrees from 450 foreign universities in 30 countries, as well as degrees from six public and four private local universities.
Two public and seven private universities have also been given the go-ahead to run medical courses, he added.
Medical graduates from universities not recognised by the Government, he said, could undergo training at Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia or Universiti Sains Malaysia before being allowed to sit for examinations and register with the Malaysian Medical Council if they passed in less than three sittings.
There are some 200 medical graduates from unrecognised universities, mostly from Indonesia, India and China. - Bernama
Monday, August 02, 2004
Helping families with disabled members
ALTHOUGH Malaysia aspires for developed status, there is still a lot that needs to be done in terms of support services given to families with disabled members.
According to Prof Steven Daley from California State University, Sacramento's Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation and School Psychology, special education and rehabilitation services are universally available to all children with disabilities and their families.
''In Canada, the United States, countries in Western Europe and Japan, there is an explicit legal mandate that serves as a foundation for special education and rehabilitation services.
''When special education services are framed by enabling legislation, the critical factor of equal access is squarely addressed in a way that insures all children with disabilities will be provided with free and appropriate public education,'' he says.
In developing nations, Prof Daley says it is important to implement federally mandated services that reflect international standards.
''Vision 2020 articulates a brilliant and persistent commitment to the development of a caring society. The next logical step for the country is to implement federal legislation that will provide full access to special education services for all of Malaysia's children with disabilities,'' he opines.
Organised by the Universiti Malaya (UM) Centre for Family Development with the support of Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the one-day forum brought together parents, government representatives and experts in special education.
The theme of the forum, Nurturing Family Life: Effective Partnerships encapsulates the most pressing issues faced by individuals with special needs and their families.
Organising committee chairman Sandiyao Sebestian says families are the building blocks of society and strong family units build a healthy society.
''The families of persons with disabilities are very much a part of society and every effort should be made to ensure that these families feel included through effective partnerships,'' he says.
Prof Daley believes families are strong, critical partners in the development and implementation of high quality special education services.
“Families know their child the best and they have keen insight on what constitutes both the developmental goals and educational outcomes desired.
“The education of a child with special needs is a full-time job and families cannot be expected to manage this on their own,'' he says.
Teachers work with the child in school while parents have the lion's share of the responsibility for raising a child who often presents many challenges.
“Collaborative partnerships also require the provision of training and ongoing support to families so that they may better cope with the many demands of having a child who has special needs,'' he says.
Sebestian who is a UM lecturer, says when the United Nations extended its Asian and Pacific decade of the disabled, the 'Biwako-Millennium Framework' was formulated.
The main thrust of this regional framework is to work towards an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities.
Being a signatory to the framework, Malaysia is committed to making those targets a reality. A major step would be the fostering of effective partnerships.
“Inter-ministerial cooperation, for instance, among the ministries related to special needs such as education, health, works and women, family and community development, would make the lives of disabled persons and their families much easier,” he says.
At the same time, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), parents and families can also cooperate to promote an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society, he adds. Terry Brougham, who previously worked as a teacher for the hearing-impaired in the United Kingdom as well as a former advisory teacher in special education, shared a model of early intervention in the UK.
In the UK, children at risk are monitored by a health visitor (a nurse who has additional training and qualifications) and are usually referred to a paediatrician.
“If the diagnosis is confirmed, a referral is then made to the local education authority (LEA). A visiting special education teacher who is an expert in the field will work closely with colleagues from other disciplines and also the child's parents.” A visiting teacher will also visit the child's home and assess his educational needs. A statement of special educational needs will then be prepared,” he explains.
Brougham who is presently doing his masters in special education at UM, says the role of the visiting teacher is to work with and help the family to maximise the child's development opportunities.
During the dialogue session, a panel comprising individuals from the education and health ministries, fielded questions from the audience.
In answer to a mother who asked whether her daughter who is dyslexic would have a different set of exam papers from the other students in the UPSR, Special Education Department planning and research division director Dr Haniz Ibrahim explained that she could apply for extra time but would not get a different paper.
He also said the Education Ministry will be placing students with various disabilities together in one residential vocational secondary school for the first time.
“The new move would involve 100 students who are visually or hearing impaired or have learning disabilities,” he says. Kamariah Mohd Amin, who has a son with Down's Syndrome, also shared her experiences on how she and a group of parents worked to get special needs pupils accepted into mainstream schools while Wong Huey Siew from the Malaysian Association for the Blind, talked about the issues and challenges faced by parents with special needs children.
“I know my parents had problems in dealing with government agencies as they could not speak Bahasa Malaysia well,” he shares.
Wong had started his talk by explaining how a sighted person should lead someone who is sight-impaired. “Let the sight-impaired person hold your right elbow or shoulder. Don't hang onto his hand or walking cane,” he says.
Various workshops on the child's needs from early childhood, childhood, adolescence and adulthood were also held.
At the end of each workshop, participants were asked to come up with suggestions on how all the different parties could work more closely together to meet the needs of the disabled.
These included the need for a one-stop and coordination centre for more information, more inter-agency coordination, all teachers to be exposed to special education so they could recognise a child who had special needs, counselling for young parents to deal with having a special needs child and provision for disability pension.
The organising committee will compile a list of parents' needs from their evaluation forms as well as from the proposals from the workshops. “Once this has been done, we will prepare an action plan which will then be forwarded to the relevant government agencies,'' says Sebestian.
Prof Daley says the provision of special education services in an inclusive, barrier-free, rights-based context is an attainable goal.
“The quality of life for all Malaysians, those with and without special needs, will be further enhanced by developing partnerships between the relevant parties.”
ALTHOUGH Malaysia aspires for developed status, there is still a lot that needs to be done in terms of support services given to families with disabled members.
According to Prof Steven Daley from California State University, Sacramento's Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation and School Psychology, special education and rehabilitation services are universally available to all children with disabilities and their families.
''In Canada, the United States, countries in Western Europe and Japan, there is an explicit legal mandate that serves as a foundation for special education and rehabilitation services.
''When special education services are framed by enabling legislation, the critical factor of equal access is squarely addressed in a way that insures all children with disabilities will be provided with free and appropriate public education,'' he says.
In developing nations, Prof Daley says it is important to implement federally mandated services that reflect international standards.
''Vision 2020 articulates a brilliant and persistent commitment to the development of a caring society. The next logical step for the country is to implement federal legislation that will provide full access to special education services for all of Malaysia's children with disabilities,'' he opines.
Organised by the Universiti Malaya (UM) Centre for Family Development with the support of Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the one-day forum brought together parents, government representatives and experts in special education.
The theme of the forum, Nurturing Family Life: Effective Partnerships encapsulates the most pressing issues faced by individuals with special needs and their families.
Organising committee chairman Sandiyao Sebestian says families are the building blocks of society and strong family units build a healthy society.
''The families of persons with disabilities are very much a part of society and every effort should be made to ensure that these families feel included through effective partnerships,'' he says.
Prof Daley believes families are strong, critical partners in the development and implementation of high quality special education services.
“Families know their child the best and they have keen insight on what constitutes both the developmental goals and educational outcomes desired.
“The education of a child with special needs is a full-time job and families cannot be expected to manage this on their own,'' he says.
Teachers work with the child in school while parents have the lion's share of the responsibility for raising a child who often presents many challenges.
“Collaborative partnerships also require the provision of training and ongoing support to families so that they may better cope with the many demands of having a child who has special needs,'' he says.
Sebestian who is a UM lecturer, says when the United Nations extended its Asian and Pacific decade of the disabled, the 'Biwako-Millennium Framework' was formulated.
The main thrust of this regional framework is to work towards an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities.
Being a signatory to the framework, Malaysia is committed to making those targets a reality. A major step would be the fostering of effective partnerships.
“Inter-ministerial cooperation, for instance, among the ministries related to special needs such as education, health, works and women, family and community development, would make the lives of disabled persons and their families much easier,” he says.
At the same time, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), parents and families can also cooperate to promote an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society, he adds. Terry Brougham, who previously worked as a teacher for the hearing-impaired in the United Kingdom as well as a former advisory teacher in special education, shared a model of early intervention in the UK.
In the UK, children at risk are monitored by a health visitor (a nurse who has additional training and qualifications) and are usually referred to a paediatrician.
“If the diagnosis is confirmed, a referral is then made to the local education authority (LEA). A visiting special education teacher who is an expert in the field will work closely with colleagues from other disciplines and also the child's parents.” A visiting teacher will also visit the child's home and assess his educational needs. A statement of special educational needs will then be prepared,” he explains.
Brougham who is presently doing his masters in special education at UM, says the role of the visiting teacher is to work with and help the family to maximise the child's development opportunities.
During the dialogue session, a panel comprising individuals from the education and health ministries, fielded questions from the audience.
In answer to a mother who asked whether her daughter who is dyslexic would have a different set of exam papers from the other students in the UPSR, Special Education Department planning and research division director Dr Haniz Ibrahim explained that she could apply for extra time but would not get a different paper.
He also said the Education Ministry will be placing students with various disabilities together in one residential vocational secondary school for the first time.
“The new move would involve 100 students who are visually or hearing impaired or have learning disabilities,” he says. Kamariah Mohd Amin, who has a son with Down's Syndrome, also shared her experiences on how she and a group of parents worked to get special needs pupils accepted into mainstream schools while Wong Huey Siew from the Malaysian Association for the Blind, talked about the issues and challenges faced by parents with special needs children.
“I know my parents had problems in dealing with government agencies as they could not speak Bahasa Malaysia well,” he shares.
Wong had started his talk by explaining how a sighted person should lead someone who is sight-impaired. “Let the sight-impaired person hold your right elbow or shoulder. Don't hang onto his hand or walking cane,” he says.
Various workshops on the child's needs from early childhood, childhood, adolescence and adulthood were also held.
At the end of each workshop, participants were asked to come up with suggestions on how all the different parties could work more closely together to meet the needs of the disabled.
These included the need for a one-stop and coordination centre for more information, more inter-agency coordination, all teachers to be exposed to special education so they could recognise a child who had special needs, counselling for young parents to deal with having a special needs child and provision for disability pension.
The organising committee will compile a list of parents' needs from their evaluation forms as well as from the proposals from the workshops. “Once this has been done, we will prepare an action plan which will then be forwarded to the relevant government agencies,'' says Sebestian.
Prof Daley says the provision of special education services in an inclusive, barrier-free, rights-based context is an attainable goal.
“The quality of life for all Malaysians, those with and without special needs, will be further enhanced by developing partnerships between the relevant parties.”
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