Chua: Provide statistics or face the consequences
MALACCA: A few private hospitals, which are promoting health tourism, are still not providing statistics on their foreign patients.
Health Minister Datuk Chua Soi Lek said they had until the end of the year to do so or face the consequences.
He said only 20 of the 35 hospitals promoting health tourism since 1988 had been submitting regular returns to the ministry through the Association of Private Hospitals.
“We need the figures and statistics on foreign patients at our hospitals to strategize and plan our activities,” Chua said at the 10th anniversary of Mahkota Medical Centre here.
He said a study by the government in 2002 estimated that the foreign patient market, worth about RM90mil in 2002, grew by about 30% annually.
“This year our foreign patient revenue is estimated to be around RM154mil, with a large percentage coming from Asean, with Indonesia topping the list,” he said.
He added that cardiology topped the list of health services demanded by the foreign patients followed by general surgery, cardio thoracic and orthopaedic surgery.
Replying to a question, Dr Chua said the influx of foreign patients should not lead to a rise in healthcare costs for the locals.
He said the Middle Eastern countries had been identified as a big market for Malaysia’s tourism drive.
He said medical tourism contributed 30% of the revenue of Mahkota Medical Centre
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
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
AIA survey: Only 18% not well covered
ONE among almost every five Malaysians stands to face serious financial difficulties within just three months if he or she is forced to stop work through illness or accident, a survey has found.
The survey, AIA Life Matters, which tested Asians’ attitude towards insurance and risk, showed that in Malaysia, without any form of critical illness, medical or accident insurance cover, 18% of those interviewed admitted they would face financial difficulties in just 12 weeks or less.
They would be almost totally reliant on family support or personal savings, the survey said.
The good news, however, was that Malaysia’s 18% was the lowest among the countries covered in the survey which was commissioned by American International Assurance Co Ltd (AIA).
In Thailand, the figure was 24%, while Hong Kong and Singapore both registered 20% each.
The survey also found that half of all Malaysian respondents admitted they would be struggling to survive financially in more than 12 months and would face acute financial difficulties in the event of an accident or illness.
The figures were similar to Hong Kong, but less than Singapore at 54%, and Thailand at 55%.
Over 70% of the respondents in Malaysia said they would either rely on their family for support, or their personal savings, while around 12% hoped for charity and social welfare.
The survey covered 500 people comprising the general public aged 25 and above. In Singapore, the respondents were aged 20 and above. The telephone interviews, which were conducted in the second quarter this year, were
surpervised by Taylor Nelson Sofres.
AIA Malaysia vice-president and general manager, Richard Bender, said the survey which would be an annual affair, was aimed at helping AIA design and price its insurance products.
The survey clearly indicated the big risks that people unwittingly took by not having adequate insurance coverage, he told a recent media briefing.
“People ignore the financial impact on individuals and their families from the potentially high costs of expensive medical treatment, the longer term implications of respite aftercare and the consequences of permanent disability,” he added.
Meanwhile, AIA Malaysia vice-president, accident & health department, Chuah Chin Seong, said the company would be introducing two new insurance products in the next two months, High Networth Personal Assurance (PA) and Scholar PA.
The high net worth PA would be for entrepreneurs with a minimum coverage starting at RM1mil and up to RM10mil.
The scholar PA is aimed at students studying in the country and also overseas, according to Chuah. – Bernama
ONE among almost every five Malaysians stands to face serious financial difficulties within just three months if he or she is forced to stop work through illness or accident, a survey has found.
The survey, AIA Life Matters, which tested Asians’ attitude towards insurance and risk, showed that in Malaysia, without any form of critical illness, medical or accident insurance cover, 18% of those interviewed admitted they would face financial difficulties in just 12 weeks or less.
They would be almost totally reliant on family support or personal savings, the survey said.
The good news, however, was that Malaysia’s 18% was the lowest among the countries covered in the survey which was commissioned by American International Assurance Co Ltd (AIA).
In Thailand, the figure was 24%, while Hong Kong and Singapore both registered 20% each.
The survey also found that half of all Malaysian respondents admitted they would be struggling to survive financially in more than 12 months and would face acute financial difficulties in the event of an accident or illness.
The figures were similar to Hong Kong, but less than Singapore at 54%, and Thailand at 55%.
Over 70% of the respondents in Malaysia said they would either rely on their family for support, or their personal savings, while around 12% hoped for charity and social welfare.
The survey covered 500 people comprising the general public aged 25 and above. In Singapore, the respondents were aged 20 and above. The telephone interviews, which were conducted in the second quarter this year, were
surpervised by Taylor Nelson Sofres.
AIA Malaysia vice-president and general manager, Richard Bender, said the survey which would be an annual affair, was aimed at helping AIA design and price its insurance products.
The survey clearly indicated the big risks that people unwittingly took by not having adequate insurance coverage, he told a recent media briefing.
“People ignore the financial impact on individuals and their families from the potentially high costs of expensive medical treatment, the longer term implications of respite aftercare and the consequences of permanent disability,” he added.
Meanwhile, AIA Malaysia vice-president, accident & health department, Chuah Chin Seong, said the company would be introducing two new insurance products in the next two months, High Networth Personal Assurance (PA) and Scholar PA.
The high net worth PA would be for entrepreneurs with a minimum coverage starting at RM1mil and up to RM10mil.
The scholar PA is aimed at students studying in the country and also overseas, according to Chuah. – Bernama
Rising demand for nurses not met
PETALING JAYA: Public and private nursing colleges cannot meet the rising demand for nurses at present as they can only train about 3,000 nurses yearly, less than half of the figure needed.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said at least 8,000 nurses needed to be trained annually to meet the nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:200 for developed countries by 2020.
“This is a big challenge for us as we’ll have to train at least 130,000 nurses over the next 16 years,” he said before presenting diplomas to nursing students at the Assunta Hospital’s Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing here.
The Government’s 18 nursing colleges could only train 2,000 students while the 16 private colleges and five universities could only accommodate another 1,000, he said.
He said the nation is facing an acute shortage of nurses and currently has a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:645 compared to Singapore’s 1:203 and Japan’s 1:134.
As of June, there were only 39,232 trained nurses, 75% of whom were employed by the Government.
At least 1,000 registered nurses were working overseas, half of them in the Middle East.
On avian flu, Dr Chua said there were no new cases in chicken or human beings, adding that there were no plans to isolate visitors who come into the country.
However, he said, the Government would upgrade the disease control mechanism and share public health information with neighbouring countries as a precautionary method.
“Because of the emergence of new diseases in recent years such as SARS and avian flu, the World Health Organisation said it is possible there will be a new disease every year,” he said.
PETALING JAYA: Public and private nursing colleges cannot meet the rising demand for nurses at present as they can only train about 3,000 nurses yearly, less than half of the figure needed.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said at least 8,000 nurses needed to be trained annually to meet the nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:200 for developed countries by 2020.
“This is a big challenge for us as we’ll have to train at least 130,000 nurses over the next 16 years,” he said before presenting diplomas to nursing students at the Assunta Hospital’s Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing here.
The Government’s 18 nursing colleges could only train 2,000 students while the 16 private colleges and five universities could only accommodate another 1,000, he said.
He said the nation is facing an acute shortage of nurses and currently has a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:645 compared to Singapore’s 1:203 and Japan’s 1:134.
As of June, there were only 39,232 trained nurses, 75% of whom were employed by the Government.
At least 1,000 registered nurses were working overseas, half of them in the Middle East.
On avian flu, Dr Chua said there were no new cases in chicken or human beings, adding that there were no plans to isolate visitors who come into the country.
However, he said, the Government would upgrade the disease control mechanism and share public health information with neighbouring countries as a precautionary method.
“Because of the emergence of new diseases in recent years such as SARS and avian flu, the World Health Organisation said it is possible there will be a new disease every year,” he said.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
How’s your bedside manners, doc?
The bedside manners of doctors is one of the elements that will be considered when assessing their competency.
The Deputy Director-General of Health, Datuk Dr Ismail Merican, said doctors must provide evidence that they had the knowledge and skills to be effective, competent, safe and reliable healthcare providers.
The competency assessment will cover all allied healthcare providers, including doctors.
Dr Ismail said what the Health Ministry hoped to implement with its involvement in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of healthcare providers was to link the assessment to what they did in their daily routine. "Doctors should not complain anymore about being assessed for competency based on something irrelevant." He said doctors were unhappy about the competency assessment as they felt that some portions of it were not relevant.
But with the new directive from Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, he said, the ministry had come up with its own assessment for allied healthcare providers besides that of the Public Services Department (PSD).
"We cannot just promote people with any form of objective assessment. We will start with doctors first. Later, we will rope in the pharmacists, physicists, researchers and other allied health personnel." He said the competency assessment would also be based on credit points and logbook, meaning doctors would be assessed on how they performed in certain procedures and how they related to patients and others.
The ministry, he added, was working closely with the Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (SCHOMOS) and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) to introduce the CPD activity in the assessment so that doctors would be evaluated on competency. "Doctors must provide evidence that they are armed with the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective, competent, safe and reliable healthcare providers." He said doctors were happy with this even though the requirements were quite stringent. "They are happy because they feel they would be evaluated based on something that is more relevant to what they do," he said, adding that they also needed to know some of the government procedures and policies as it was important to their core business.
"Doctors and allied healthcare personnel must be aware of the existing government policies so that they can work within the framework of policy decisions made by the Government." Dr Ismail said there were doctors and allied healthcare providers who did not know what was going on around them, including the policies within which they had to work. "They must know what they can and cannot do." He added that the Government was also introducing leadership and strategic planning skills for senior government officers who needed to be trained in the field.
"CPD is important because it will ensure that people are continuously updated and whatever they do is in keeping with the times so that they don't lose out on skills," he added.
He said that over the years a lot of things had changed and a lot of new skills and knowledge developed.
"There is also the changing global challenges and the expectation of the public is even greater," he said, adding that this was why they wanted doctors and those in healthcare to be equipped with the knowledge and skills which they may not have acquired as graduates.
At present, doctors have to undergo examinations and go for courses organised by the PSD.
Although they will still undergo one examination with the PSD, the ministry would conduct its own competency assessment for its staff. Dr Ismail also stressed that the CPD involved doctors in the public and private sectors as well.
He said it was a systematic process of life-long learning and professional development aimed at enabling healthcare providers to maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills and competence for effective clinical practice to meet the needs of the population.
Dr Ismail added that the CPD dealt with issues that were linked with professional competency, provision of quality care and improved health outcomes for doctors in both the public and private sectors.
The bedside manners of doctors is one of the elements that will be considered when assessing their competency.
The Deputy Director-General of Health, Datuk Dr Ismail Merican, said doctors must provide evidence that they had the knowledge and skills to be effective, competent, safe and reliable healthcare providers.
The competency assessment will cover all allied healthcare providers, including doctors.
Dr Ismail said what the Health Ministry hoped to implement with its involvement in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of healthcare providers was to link the assessment to what they did in their daily routine. "Doctors should not complain anymore about being assessed for competency based on something irrelevant." He said doctors were unhappy about the competency assessment as they felt that some portions of it were not relevant.
But with the new directive from Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, he said, the ministry had come up with its own assessment for allied healthcare providers besides that of the Public Services Department (PSD).
"We cannot just promote people with any form of objective assessment. We will start with doctors first. Later, we will rope in the pharmacists, physicists, researchers and other allied health personnel." He said the competency assessment would also be based on credit points and logbook, meaning doctors would be assessed on how they performed in certain procedures and how they related to patients and others.
The ministry, he added, was working closely with the Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (SCHOMOS) and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) to introduce the CPD activity in the assessment so that doctors would be evaluated on competency. "Doctors must provide evidence that they are armed with the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective, competent, safe and reliable healthcare providers." He said doctors were happy with this even though the requirements were quite stringent. "They are happy because they feel they would be evaluated based on something that is more relevant to what they do," he said, adding that they also needed to know some of the government procedures and policies as it was important to their core business.
"Doctors and allied healthcare personnel must be aware of the existing government policies so that they can work within the framework of policy decisions made by the Government." Dr Ismail said there were doctors and allied healthcare providers who did not know what was going on around them, including the policies within which they had to work. "They must know what they can and cannot do." He added that the Government was also introducing leadership and strategic planning skills for senior government officers who needed to be trained in the field.
"CPD is important because it will ensure that people are continuously updated and whatever they do is in keeping with the times so that they don't lose out on skills," he added.
He said that over the years a lot of things had changed and a lot of new skills and knowledge developed.
"There is also the changing global challenges and the expectation of the public is even greater," he said, adding that this was why they wanted doctors and those in healthcare to be equipped with the knowledge and skills which they may not have acquired as graduates.
At present, doctors have to undergo examinations and go for courses organised by the PSD.
Although they will still undergo one examination with the PSD, the ministry would conduct its own competency assessment for its staff. Dr Ismail also stressed that the CPD involved doctors in the public and private sectors as well.
He said it was a systematic process of life-long learning and professional development aimed at enabling healthcare providers to maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills and competence for effective clinical practice to meet the needs of the population.
Dr Ismail added that the CPD dealt with issues that were linked with professional competency, provision of quality care and improved health outcomes for doctors in both the public and private sectors.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Nation faces acute shortage of nurses
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is facing an acute shortage of nurses with a nurse to patient ratio of 1:645 compared to 1:200 in developed countries.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said that in order to meet the ratio of the developed countries, Malaysia has to train 8,000 nurses every year.
However, he said, the public and private colleges could only train 3,000 nurses yearly.
As of June this year, there are 39,232 nurses, of whom 75% were in government service.
"This is a big challenge for us, as we have to train at least 130,000 nurses over the next 16 years," he said before presenting diplomas to nursing students at the Assunta Hospital.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is facing an acute shortage of nurses with a nurse to patient ratio of 1:645 compared to 1:200 in developed countries.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said that in order to meet the ratio of the developed countries, Malaysia has to train 8,000 nurses every year.
However, he said, the public and private colleges could only train 3,000 nurses yearly.
As of June this year, there are 39,232 nurses, of whom 75% were in government service.
"This is a big challenge for us, as we have to train at least 130,000 nurses over the next 16 years," he said before presenting diplomas to nursing students at the Assunta Hospital.
Putrajaya Hospital showcases latest eHealth service
PATIENTS registered with Putrajaya Health Clinic carry no appointment cards if they possess MyKad, the new chip-based national identity card.
The long queues that are a common feature in most government clinics and general hospitals in the country are unheard of in this futuristic healthcare facility in the nation's new administrative centre.
A patient with an appointment for the day merely swipes his MyKad at a terminal, which will then dispense a queue number for the doctor attending to his case.
If he has a mobile phone he would have had an SMS reminder the day before, plus pertinent information – such as having to fast for eight hours prior to his visit – if he were scheduled to undergo any laboratory tests.
Dr Wong Kien Seng is particularly proud that the applications are Buatan Malaysia – developed locally by programmers, all of whom are Malaysian citizens.
This is information technology communications at work, realising the nation's eHealth programme, a flagship application of the Multimedia Super Corridor. The clinic and the 272-bedded Putrajaya Hospital, which provides secondary level care, have become the nation's showcase of its healthcare services of the future.
And patients could expect further enhancements and refinements, promised Dr Wong Kien Seng, chief executive officer of Kompakar eHealth Tech Sdn Bhd (KeHT), who has been involved in the project from day one. KeHT is a subsidiary of the Kompakar Group.
The Clinic Information System (CIS) has run live in Putrajaya Clinic since November 1999, and the Total Hospital Information System (eTHIS) since November 2000, according to Wong, who is particularly proud that the applications are Buatan Malaysia – developed locally by programmers, all of whom are Malaysian citizens.
The two systems are currently Windows-based. But the hospital is keen on migrating to a Java-powered, open source version that Kompakar is near to wrapping up. An open source system will help the hospital cut costs in that no royalty payments are involved.
Although the open source version is aimed primarily at the China market, Kompakar's stand is “flavours” – it provides applications that meet the client's operating platform, whether Windows-based, Unix, or open source.
Wong, with over 10 years of healthcare industry experience, said CIS and eTHIS allowed doctors from the clinic to refer patients to the hospital electronically. Patients need not carry a hard copy of referral with them when visiting the hospital.
The hospital staff are able to preview patients' initial record – the clinical clerking, investigations' test and results – and proactively plan for patients' care prior to their consultation.
More importantly, eTHIS contains a comprehensive medical folders module that enables doctors to access patients' medical records online, even on wireless networks when required.
In the pipeline is a picture archiving and communications system intended to be used for long-term archiving of medical images. This, coupled with other data culled from the hospital's records, will enable a decision support system that will help doctors in diagnosis and treatment.
Besides, KeHT is working on a shrink-wrapped version of its CIS application that will be offered as a stand-alone system for the smaller healthcare providers.
Wong said in addition to Putrajaya Hospital and Clinic, eTHIS had also been customised for the Pantai group hospitals in Bangsar (Kuala Lumpur) and Pandan Indah (Selangor).
KeHT is also looking at working with other hospitals within the Bursa Malaysia-listed Pantai group.
Besides Malaysia, KeHT is currently targeting eTHIS at hospitals in China, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and, eventually, Vietnam. The Kompakar group has overseas subsidiaries in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and China.
PATIENTS registered with Putrajaya Health Clinic carry no appointment cards if they possess MyKad, the new chip-based national identity card.
The long queues that are a common feature in most government clinics and general hospitals in the country are unheard of in this futuristic healthcare facility in the nation's new administrative centre.
A patient with an appointment for the day merely swipes his MyKad at a terminal, which will then dispense a queue number for the doctor attending to his case.
If he has a mobile phone he would have had an SMS reminder the day before, plus pertinent information – such as having to fast for eight hours prior to his visit – if he were scheduled to undergo any laboratory tests.
Dr Wong Kien Seng is particularly proud that the applications are Buatan Malaysia – developed locally by programmers, all of whom are Malaysian citizens.
This is information technology communications at work, realising the nation's eHealth programme, a flagship application of the Multimedia Super Corridor. The clinic and the 272-bedded Putrajaya Hospital, which provides secondary level care, have become the nation's showcase of its healthcare services of the future.
And patients could expect further enhancements and refinements, promised Dr Wong Kien Seng, chief executive officer of Kompakar eHealth Tech Sdn Bhd (KeHT), who has been involved in the project from day one. KeHT is a subsidiary of the Kompakar Group.
The Clinic Information System (CIS) has run live in Putrajaya Clinic since November 1999, and the Total Hospital Information System (eTHIS) since November 2000, according to Wong, who is particularly proud that the applications are Buatan Malaysia – developed locally by programmers, all of whom are Malaysian citizens.
The two systems are currently Windows-based. But the hospital is keen on migrating to a Java-powered, open source version that Kompakar is near to wrapping up. An open source system will help the hospital cut costs in that no royalty payments are involved.
Although the open source version is aimed primarily at the China market, Kompakar's stand is “flavours” – it provides applications that meet the client's operating platform, whether Windows-based, Unix, or open source.
Wong, with over 10 years of healthcare industry experience, said CIS and eTHIS allowed doctors from the clinic to refer patients to the hospital electronically. Patients need not carry a hard copy of referral with them when visiting the hospital.
The hospital staff are able to preview patients' initial record – the clinical clerking, investigations' test and results – and proactively plan for patients' care prior to their consultation.
More importantly, eTHIS contains a comprehensive medical folders module that enables doctors to access patients' medical records online, even on wireless networks when required.
In the pipeline is a picture archiving and communications system intended to be used for long-term archiving of medical images. This, coupled with other data culled from the hospital's records, will enable a decision support system that will help doctors in diagnosis and treatment.
Besides, KeHT is working on a shrink-wrapped version of its CIS application that will be offered as a stand-alone system for the smaller healthcare providers.
Wong said in addition to Putrajaya Hospital and Clinic, eTHIS had also been customised for the Pantai group hospitals in Bangsar (Kuala Lumpur) and Pandan Indah (Selangor).
KeHT is also looking at working with other hospitals within the Bursa Malaysia-listed Pantai group.
Besides Malaysia, KeHT is currently targeting eTHIS at hospitals in China, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and, eventually, Vietnam. The Kompakar group has overseas subsidiaries in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and China.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Survey: Many M’sians are financially ill-prepared for illnesses, accidents
Kuala Lumpur: One among almost every five Malaysians stands to face serious financial difficulties within just three months if he or she is forced to stop work through illness or accident, a survey has found.
The survey, AIA Life Matters, which tested Asians’ attitude towards insurance and risk, showed that in Malaysia, without any form of critical illness, medical or accident insurance cover, 18 percent of those interviewed admitted they would face financial difficulties in just 12 weeks or less.
They would be almost totally reliant on family support or personal savings, the survey said.
The good news, however, was that Malaysia’s 18 percent was the lowest among the countries covered in the survey which was commissioned by American International Assurance Company Limited (AIA).
In Thailand the figure was 24 percent, while Hong Kong and Singapore both registered 20 percent each.
The survey also found that half of all Malaysian respondents admitted they would be struggling to survive financially in more than 12 months and would face acute financial difficulties in the event of an accident or illness.
The figures were similar to Hong Kong, but less than Singapore at 54 percent and Thailand at 55 percent.
Over 70 percent of the respondents in Malaysia said they would either rely on their family for support, or their personal savings, while around 12 percent hoped for charity and social welfare.
The survey covered 500 people comprising the general public aged 25 and above. In Singapore, the respondents were aged 20 and above. The telephone interviews, which were conducted in the second quarter of this year, was surpervised by Taylor Nelson Sofres.
AIA Malaysia vice president and general manager, Richard Bender, said the survey which would be an annual affair, was aimed at helping AIA design and price its insurance products.
The survey clearly indicates the big risks that people unwittingly take by not having adequate insurance coverage, he said at a media briefing here today.
“People ignore the financial impact on individuals and their families from the potentially high costs of expensive medical treatment, the longer-term implications of respite after-care and the consequences of permanent disability,” he added.
Meanwhile, AIA Malaysia vice president, accident & health department, Chuah Chin Seong said the company would be introducing two new insurance products over the next two months, High Networth Personal Assurance (PA) and Scholar PA. - Bernama
Kuala Lumpur: One among almost every five Malaysians stands to face serious financial difficulties within just three months if he or she is forced to stop work through illness or accident, a survey has found.
The survey, AIA Life Matters, which tested Asians’ attitude towards insurance and risk, showed that in Malaysia, without any form of critical illness, medical or accident insurance cover, 18 percent of those interviewed admitted they would face financial difficulties in just 12 weeks or less.
They would be almost totally reliant on family support or personal savings, the survey said.
The good news, however, was that Malaysia’s 18 percent was the lowest among the countries covered in the survey which was commissioned by American International Assurance Company Limited (AIA).
In Thailand the figure was 24 percent, while Hong Kong and Singapore both registered 20 percent each.
The survey also found that half of all Malaysian respondents admitted they would be struggling to survive financially in more than 12 months and would face acute financial difficulties in the event of an accident or illness.
The figures were similar to Hong Kong, but less than Singapore at 54 percent and Thailand at 55 percent.
Over 70 percent of the respondents in Malaysia said they would either rely on their family for support, or their personal savings, while around 12 percent hoped for charity and social welfare.
The survey covered 500 people comprising the general public aged 25 and above. In Singapore, the respondents were aged 20 and above. The telephone interviews, which were conducted in the second quarter of this year, was surpervised by Taylor Nelson Sofres.
AIA Malaysia vice president and general manager, Richard Bender, said the survey which would be an annual affair, was aimed at helping AIA design and price its insurance products.
The survey clearly indicates the big risks that people unwittingly take by not having adequate insurance coverage, he said at a media briefing here today.
“People ignore the financial impact on individuals and their families from the potentially high costs of expensive medical treatment, the longer-term implications of respite after-care and the consequences of permanent disability,” he added.
Meanwhile, AIA Malaysia vice president, accident & health department, Chuah Chin Seong said the company would be introducing two new insurance products over the next two months, High Networth Personal Assurance (PA) and Scholar PA. - Bernama
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Specialist register next year to check competency
KUALA LUMPUR: A specialist register will be set up to ensure these professionals are fully competent, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said the Health Ministry had been working with the Academy of Medicine Malaysia (AMM) to develop the registry.
"The registry will also facilitate interactions, referrals and patient management among fellow specialists in various disciplines, and help members of the public identify the specialists that they want," he said at the 5th MOH-AMM Scientific Meeting at the Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel here Thursday.
He said the registry would also ensure only competent foreign specialists were credentialed to practise in the country after the implementation of the Asian Free Trade Area.
KUALA LUMPUR: A specialist register will be set up to ensure these professionals are fully competent, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said the Health Ministry had been working with the Academy of Medicine Malaysia (AMM) to develop the registry.
"The registry will also facilitate interactions, referrals and patient management among fellow specialists in various disciplines, and help members of the public identify the specialists that they want," he said at the 5th MOH-AMM Scientific Meeting at the Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel here Thursday.
He said the registry would also ensure only competent foreign specialists were credentialed to practise in the country after the implementation of the Asian Free Trade Area.
Tips on preventing medical errors
KUALA LUMPUR: Local healthcare personnel will have the opportunity to learn from overseas experts on ways to prevent medical errors during an international conference on health risk management next month.
Medico-Legal Consultant Dr M. Ponnusamy said the conference, organised by the Malaysian Medical Association, would touch on topics such as clinical risk management in various fields including haematology, pharmacy, radiology and nursing.
The conference will be held on Sept 4 and 5 at the Putrajaya Marriott. Those interested can log on to www.mma.org.my or www. adventcgs.com.
KUALA LUMPUR: Local healthcare personnel will have the opportunity to learn from overseas experts on ways to prevent medical errors during an international conference on health risk management next month.
Medico-Legal Consultant Dr M. Ponnusamy said the conference, organised by the Malaysian Medical Association, would touch on topics such as clinical risk management in various fields including haematology, pharmacy, radiology and nursing.
The conference will be held on Sept 4 and 5 at the Putrajaya Marriott. Those interested can log on to www.mma.org.my or www. adventcgs.com.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Himalaya Herbal Healthcare picks M’sia as regional hub
BANGALORE-BASED Himalaya Herbal Healthcare will make Malaysia its regional hub as it continues expanding worldwide in the fast growing herbal healthcare industry.
Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, the biggest herbal healthcare company in India, will finally set foot in Malaysia after extending its presence to over 50 countries in the world.
“Malaysia is the first country in South-East Asia we are entering and we plan to make it our regional hub.
“This is because it has a very good consumer base with discerning consumers who are exposed to the best healthcare products in the world,” chief executive officer and president Ravi Prasad said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Prasad, who is here for the local launch of Himalaya Herbal Healthcare products, said many people still had doubts and myths about herbal products.
“Herbal products are safe and do not have any side effects on consumers. We have combined our herbal products with contemporary science and we spend a huge amount of money on research and development.
“In fact, it usually takes us 8 to 10 years of research and testing before a product is launched.
“We do not believe in using chemicals and all our products are chemical-free,” he added.
Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, one of the top 10 companies in the pharmaceutical industry in India in terms of unit sales, is expecting a 25% growth in revenue from its current US$80mil.
“We expect revenue to exceed US$100mil this year. There is huge potential in the herbal healthcare industry. The global herbal healthcare industry is worth US$63bil and growing at 20% -25% a year,” said Prasad.
BANGALORE-BASED Himalaya Herbal Healthcare will make Malaysia its regional hub as it continues expanding worldwide in the fast growing herbal healthcare industry.
Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, the biggest herbal healthcare company in India, will finally set foot in Malaysia after extending its presence to over 50 countries in the world.
“Malaysia is the first country in South-East Asia we are entering and we plan to make it our regional hub.
“This is because it has a very good consumer base with discerning consumers who are exposed to the best healthcare products in the world,” chief executive officer and president Ravi Prasad said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Prasad, who is here for the local launch of Himalaya Herbal Healthcare products, said many people still had doubts and myths about herbal products.
“Herbal products are safe and do not have any side effects on consumers. We have combined our herbal products with contemporary science and we spend a huge amount of money on research and development.
“In fact, it usually takes us 8 to 10 years of research and testing before a product is launched.
“We do not believe in using chemicals and all our products are chemical-free,” he added.
Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, one of the top 10 companies in the pharmaceutical industry in India in terms of unit sales, is expecting a 25% growth in revenue from its current US$80mil.
“We expect revenue to exceed US$100mil this year. There is huge potential in the herbal healthcare industry. The global herbal healthcare industry is worth US$63bil and growing at 20% -25% a year,” said Prasad.
Doc: Herbal drugs may not be safe
KUALA LUMPUR: Natural herbal products are not necessarily safe and effective in treating diseases as they have not undergone tests, said a pharmacologist from University of Strathclyde in Britain.
Dr Brian L Furman said interest in such products was increasing as people were losing faith in conventional medicine.
“Some people in the Britain turn to natural products because they believe it is safe.
“They think that because it is called natural products it is naturally safe. That's purely a false perception,” he said after delivering a talk “Biomedical Sciences at Strathclyde - Drug Discovery from Natural Products” at Technology Park Malaysia yesterday.
“My conception of herbal (or natural) products is that it is another route to getting a new medicine,” he said, adding that the problem with natural products was that many had yet to go through systematic scientific procedures.
Dr Furham said for some natural products, the amount of active ingredients could change enormously under different conditions, “which means we can't predict what the dose is going to be.”
He cautioned those using natural products to find out about the amount of active ingredients they could produce, whether they were safe and effective.
He also pointed out the dangers in mixing natural products with conventional medicine which could lead to harmful interactions.
On the prospect of natural products, he said, the pharmaceutical industry was interested in using pure compounds from natural products that could control diseases more effectively.
Dr Furman is currently involved in research of potential anti-obesity agents.
KUALA LUMPUR: Natural herbal products are not necessarily safe and effective in treating diseases as they have not undergone tests, said a pharmacologist from University of Strathclyde in Britain.
Dr Brian L Furman said interest in such products was increasing as people were losing faith in conventional medicine.
“Some people in the Britain turn to natural products because they believe it is safe.
“They think that because it is called natural products it is naturally safe. That's purely a false perception,” he said after delivering a talk “Biomedical Sciences at Strathclyde - Drug Discovery from Natural Products” at Technology Park Malaysia yesterday.
“My conception of herbal (or natural) products is that it is another route to getting a new medicine,” he said, adding that the problem with natural products was that many had yet to go through systematic scientific procedures.
Dr Furham said for some natural products, the amount of active ingredients could change enormously under different conditions, “which means we can't predict what the dose is going to be.”
He cautioned those using natural products to find out about the amount of active ingredients they could produce, whether they were safe and effective.
He also pointed out the dangers in mixing natural products with conventional medicine which could lead to harmful interactions.
On the prospect of natural products, he said, the pharmaceutical industry was interested in using pure compounds from natural products that could control diseases more effectively.
Dr Furman is currently involved in research of potential anti-obesity agents.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
WHO Commends Malaysia On Swift Action On Bird Flu
Asian nations need not panic over the recent outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), but instead take concerted long-term measures to contain it, said WHO Western Pacific regional director Dr Shigeru Omi.
He said the countries should further strengthen their surveillance systems on the outbreak to prevent the strain from re-emerging later. "The virus is still circulating among poultry farms and there is always a chance for the virus to gain the ability to transmit on a human-to-human basis."
"So, people should strengthen their surveillance, but at this point of time, we do not need to panic," he told reporters.
He was here for the opening of the two-day ASEAN Consultation on the Impact of AFTA on Tobacco Trade and Health forum at Hotel Equatorial Penang Monday. Dr Omi congratulated the Malaysian Health authorities for taking prompt and decisive action to contain the avian flu outbreak.
"Malaysia has done a good job to cull the chickens and has taken immediate action to go to the ground to address the issue. The country has also dealt with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) very well, and has learnt from its past experience, the Nipah virus outbreak," he said.
He added that the WHO was not recommending vaccination for animals as a major cure for the virus because it may give a false sense of security. Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the tests on the veterinarian and the three children at the Kota Baru Hospital confirmed that they were free from avian flu.
"They will be discharged soon. And, with this, there are no other suspected avian flu cases in Kota Bharu so far," he said.
Asian nations need not panic over the recent outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), but instead take concerted long-term measures to contain it, said WHO Western Pacific regional director Dr Shigeru Omi.
He said the countries should further strengthen their surveillance systems on the outbreak to prevent the strain from re-emerging later. "The virus is still circulating among poultry farms and there is always a chance for the virus to gain the ability to transmit on a human-to-human basis."
"So, people should strengthen their surveillance, but at this point of time, we do not need to panic," he told reporters.
He was here for the opening of the two-day ASEAN Consultation on the Impact of AFTA on Tobacco Trade and Health forum at Hotel Equatorial Penang Monday. Dr Omi congratulated the Malaysian Health authorities for taking prompt and decisive action to contain the avian flu outbreak.
"Malaysia has done a good job to cull the chickens and has taken immediate action to go to the ground to address the issue. The country has also dealt with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) very well, and has learnt from its past experience, the Nipah virus outbreak," he said.
He added that the WHO was not recommending vaccination for animals as a major cure for the virus because it may give a false sense of security. Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the tests on the veterinarian and the three children at the Kota Baru Hospital confirmed that they were free from avian flu.
"They will be discharged soon. And, with this, there are no other suspected avian flu cases in Kota Bharu so far," he said.
Government plans to lower amount of tar and nicotine in cigarettes
PENANG: The Government will study a proposal to reduce the contents of tar and nicotine in cigarettes by 25% and 13% respectively, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He said the move was among several proposed amendments to the Control of Tobacco Product Regulation 1993, under the Food Act 1983, which allows the maximum of 20mg of tar and 1.5mg of nicotine in each cigarette.
“We hope to reduce the level of tar to 15mg and nicotine to 1.3mg in each cigarette when amendments to the regulations are made,” he said after opening the two-day Asean Consultation on the Impact of Afta on Tobacco Trade and Health forum in Penang yesterday.
Dr Chua said the Government would soon extend no-smoking zones to cover places of worship, hotel lobbies and toilets as well as public toilets.
“I have also asked the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry to work with the Health Ministry to control all forms of direct and indirect advertisements by tobacco companies,” he said.
Dr Chua said the Government was keen to establish a Health Promotion Foundation, which would be sustained by “sin taxes” from tobacco and alcohol firms to fund sports, cultural and health promotions and activities.
He also said Malaysia, which had signed the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control last September, was in the process of ratifying it.
PENANG: The Government will study a proposal to reduce the contents of tar and nicotine in cigarettes by 25% and 13% respectively, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He said the move was among several proposed amendments to the Control of Tobacco Product Regulation 1993, under the Food Act 1983, which allows the maximum of 20mg of tar and 1.5mg of nicotine in each cigarette.
“We hope to reduce the level of tar to 15mg and nicotine to 1.3mg in each cigarette when amendments to the regulations are made,” he said after opening the two-day Asean Consultation on the Impact of Afta on Tobacco Trade and Health forum in Penang yesterday.
Dr Chua said the Government would soon extend no-smoking zones to cover places of worship, hotel lobbies and toilets as well as public toilets.
“I have also asked the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry to work with the Health Ministry to control all forms of direct and indirect advertisements by tobacco companies,” he said.
Dr Chua said the Government was keen to establish a Health Promotion Foundation, which would be sustained by “sin taxes” from tobacco and alcohol firms to fund sports, cultural and health promotions and activities.
He also said Malaysia, which had signed the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control last September, was in the process of ratifying it.
Monday, August 23, 2004
BIRD FLU: Clean bill of health for three
Kelantan State Medical Health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Datuk Ahmad Mahir said the three people were discharged yesterday after tests showed they did not have the bird flu virus.
Speaking to newsmen after launching a State-level hepatitis awareness campaign, today Dr Ahmad Razin said samples taken from a 16-year-old girl, her mother and a veterinary officer were sent to the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) and came back yesterday, positively clearing all three.
Student Siti Munirah Ismail and her mother Fatimah Che Haron, 40, are from Kampung Baru, Pasir Pekan in Tumpat, where the virus was detected in the carcasses of two kampung chickens, while veterinary officer Rosnani Awang was involved in the culling of birds and chickens on Thursday.
They had been isolated at a special ward for observation after complaining of fever and cough.
Despite the good news, health authorities reaffirmed that they would not take any chances.
Another veterinary officer, Dr Zarina Mohamed, 32, was admitted to the Kota Baru Hospital complaining of a sore throat and cough.
Her children, aged between two and six, years were also admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward on Saturday as a precaution.
In Seremban, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the official and her children did not have any fever.
“The results of throat swabs taken from the family will only be known tonight.
“If the tests are negative, the official and her children will be discharged tomorrow.
“Right now, they are still under supervision by the hospital authorities.”
Dr Chua called on the public not to worry as everything was under control.
“We are not hiding anything at all. So far, there are no human beings suffering from the disease. Only chickens had the disease, not humans.”
He advised the public not to listen to rumours.
“The outbreak of avian flu is only confined to Tumpat,” Dr Chua said, adding that his confidence was based on the round-the-clock effort by his Ministry, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry and other authorities to check the disease.
“I have full confidence that the disease will not spread to other areas.”
To contain the virus in the village in Tumpat, residents in the area are not allowed to resume rearing chickens or birds for at least three weeks, the Veterinary Services Department announced yesterday.
Its director-general, Datuk Dr Hawari Hussein, said to ensure the virus did not re-appear or spread, the department had also disinfected the areas where chickens and birds had been culled. — NST
Kelantan State Medical Health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Datuk Ahmad Mahir said the three people were discharged yesterday after tests showed they did not have the bird flu virus.
Speaking to newsmen after launching a State-level hepatitis awareness campaign, today Dr Ahmad Razin said samples taken from a 16-year-old girl, her mother and a veterinary officer were sent to the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) and came back yesterday, positively clearing all three.
Student Siti Munirah Ismail and her mother Fatimah Che Haron, 40, are from Kampung Baru, Pasir Pekan in Tumpat, where the virus was detected in the carcasses of two kampung chickens, while veterinary officer Rosnani Awang was involved in the culling of birds and chickens on Thursday.
They had been isolated at a special ward for observation after complaining of fever and cough.
Despite the good news, health authorities reaffirmed that they would not take any chances.
Another veterinary officer, Dr Zarina Mohamed, 32, was admitted to the Kota Baru Hospital complaining of a sore throat and cough.
Her children, aged between two and six, years were also admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward on Saturday as a precaution.
In Seremban, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said the official and her children did not have any fever.
“The results of throat swabs taken from the family will only be known tonight.
“If the tests are negative, the official and her children will be discharged tomorrow.
“Right now, they are still under supervision by the hospital authorities.”
Dr Chua called on the public not to worry as everything was under control.
“We are not hiding anything at all. So far, there are no human beings suffering from the disease. Only chickens had the disease, not humans.”
He advised the public not to listen to rumours.
“The outbreak of avian flu is only confined to Tumpat,” Dr Chua said, adding that his confidence was based on the round-the-clock effort by his Ministry, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry and other authorities to check the disease.
“I have full confidence that the disease will not spread to other areas.”
To contain the virus in the village in Tumpat, residents in the area are not allowed to resume rearing chickens or birds for at least three weeks, the Veterinary Services Department announced yesterday.
Its director-general, Datuk Dr Hawari Hussein, said to ensure the virus did not re-appear or spread, the department had also disinfected the areas where chickens and birds had been culled. — NST
Tabs on passion pills
Negri Sembilan Health Department officials have gone ‘undercover’ to bring to book operators of private clinics and pharmacies which sell ‘sex booster’ capsules to customers.
This follows complaints by consumers that such capsules were sold in the State, especially Seremban town to walk-in customers.
The department has begun closely monitoring pharmacies and private clinics as such capsules are known to have a negative health impact on the consumer.
Its enforcement deputy director Abd Halim Abd Aziz said department officials recently seized several types of so-called ‘king of sex’ capsules from shops in Port Dickson and Lenggeng..
Among the items seized were Enjoy capsules, V-stone, Abang Boleh and fake Viagra from China.
"Although the seizures did not involve a big quantity of capsules, we will intensify operations.
“We will not compromise with errant traders or individuals found to be selling such capsules...we will prosecute them.”
He reminded the public, particularly men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction, not to be easily influenced into buying the capsules.
The department has set up a public complaints bureau to enable those with information on the sale of the capsules as well as traditional medicines, to get in touch with them.
"The public must not just buy the medicines or capsules but check the labels and if possible, get in touch with us first, to avoid being taken for a ride," he said.
Negri Sembilan Health Department officials have gone ‘undercover’ to bring to book operators of private clinics and pharmacies which sell ‘sex booster’ capsules to customers.
This follows complaints by consumers that such capsules were sold in the State, especially Seremban town to walk-in customers.
The department has begun closely monitoring pharmacies and private clinics as such capsules are known to have a negative health impact on the consumer.
Its enforcement deputy director Abd Halim Abd Aziz said department officials recently seized several types of so-called ‘king of sex’ capsules from shops in Port Dickson and Lenggeng..
Among the items seized were Enjoy capsules, V-stone, Abang Boleh and fake Viagra from China.
"Although the seizures did not involve a big quantity of capsules, we will intensify operations.
“We will not compromise with errant traders or individuals found to be selling such capsules...we will prosecute them.”
He reminded the public, particularly men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction, not to be easily influenced into buying the capsules.
The department has set up a public complaints bureau to enable those with information on the sale of the capsules as well as traditional medicines, to get in touch with them.
"The public must not just buy the medicines or capsules but check the labels and if possible, get in touch with us first, to avoid being taken for a ride," he said.
Tabs on passion pills
Negri Sembilan Health Department officials have gone ‘undercover’ to bring to book operators of private clinics and pharmacies which sell ‘sex booster’ capsules to customers.
This follows complaints by consumers that such capsules were sold in the State, especially Seremban town to walk-in customers.
The department has begun closely monitoring pharmacies and private clinics as such capsules are known to have a negative health impact on the consumer.
Its enforcement deputy director Abd Halim Abd Aziz said department officials recently seized several types of so-called ‘king of sex’ capsules from shops in Port Dickson and Lenggeng..
Among the items seized were Enjoy capsules, V-stone, Abang Boleh and fake Viagra from China.
"Although the seizures did not involve a big quantity of capsules, we will intensify operations.
“We will not compromise with errant traders or individuals found to be selling such capsules...we will prosecute them.”
He reminded the public, particularly men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction, not to be easily influenced into buying the capsules.
The department has set up a public complaints bureau to enable those with information on the sale of the capsules as well as traditional medicines, to get in touch with them.
"The public must not just buy the medicines or capsules but check the labels and if possible, get in touch with us first, to avoid being taken for a ride," he said.
Negri Sembilan Health Department officials have gone ‘undercover’ to bring to book operators of private clinics and pharmacies which sell ‘sex booster’ capsules to customers.
This follows complaints by consumers that such capsules were sold in the State, especially Seremban town to walk-in customers.
The department has begun closely monitoring pharmacies and private clinics as such capsules are known to have a negative health impact on the consumer.
Its enforcement deputy director Abd Halim Abd Aziz said department officials recently seized several types of so-called ‘king of sex’ capsules from shops in Port Dickson and Lenggeng..
Among the items seized were Enjoy capsules, V-stone, Abang Boleh and fake Viagra from China.
"Although the seizures did not involve a big quantity of capsules, we will intensify operations.
“We will not compromise with errant traders or individuals found to be selling such capsules...we will prosecute them.”
He reminded the public, particularly men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction, not to be easily influenced into buying the capsules.
The department has set up a public complaints bureau to enable those with information on the sale of the capsules as well as traditional medicines, to get in touch with them.
"The public must not just buy the medicines or capsules but check the labels and if possible, get in touch with us first, to avoid being taken for a ride," he said.
Malaysia, Brunei promote health cooperation
Kuala Lumpur, Aug 21 (VNA) - Malaysia and Brunei will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve cooperation on health matters, Malaysian Health Minister Chua Soi Lek told reporters on Friday after a closing meeting between health delegations of the two countries.
Brunei was represented by Health Minister Abu Bakar Apong.
The draft of the 12-point MoU had been agreed upon at the second bilateral meeting on health between Malaysia and Brunei held in the Genting Highland resort in Malaysia, said Chua.
The meeting serves as a framework for the implementation of bilateral cooperation on health matters for the mutual benefit of both countries.
The 12-point agreement will include such issues as emerging diseases, the exchange of information, human resource development, food safety and more regular visits of health personnel from both countries.
It is necessary to promote health cooperation between the two countries in order to minimise the spread of disease across the border as well as to enhance the capability of health services in improving health of people in each of the countries, said Chua.
Kuala Lumpur, Aug 21 (VNA) - Malaysia and Brunei will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve cooperation on health matters, Malaysian Health Minister Chua Soi Lek told reporters on Friday after a closing meeting between health delegations of the two countries.
Brunei was represented by Health Minister Abu Bakar Apong.
The draft of the 12-point MoU had been agreed upon at the second bilateral meeting on health between Malaysia and Brunei held in the Genting Highland resort in Malaysia, said Chua.
The meeting serves as a framework for the implementation of bilateral cooperation on health matters for the mutual benefit of both countries.
The 12-point agreement will include such issues as emerging diseases, the exchange of information, human resource development, food safety and more regular visits of health personnel from both countries.
It is necessary to promote health cooperation between the two countries in order to minimise the spread of disease across the border as well as to enhance the capability of health services in improving health of people in each of the countries, said Chua.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
UPM takes a step forward for cancer research
A LOCAL university seems poised to take cancer research to a higher level.
Universiti Putra Malaysia's (UPM) lecturer Dr Johnson Stanslas, together with students from the university's department of biomedical sciences, is spearheading this work.
“The group's research focuses on the discovery and development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics from nature,” said Dr Stanslas about the work of the Cancer Research and Drug Discovery (CRDD) group.
“As I am based in the faculty of medicine and health sciences, a big chunk of my research focuses on the pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo evaluations of potential anti-cancer agents,” he said at the signing of a research and consultancy agreement between UPM and Autoimmune Sdn Bhd.
Under the agreement, Autoimmune Sdn Bhd's managing director, Patriek Yeoh, said UPM would evaluate some of Autoimmune's botanical-based formulations to produce scientific data which supports medical efficacy.
“This means UPM will be evaluating the in vitro (artificial environment) anti-cancer potential of Autoimmune's plant extracts and the in vivo potential of the company's purely herbal-based product known as Hepat for the treatment of liver toxicity,” he explained.
Yeoh explained that the evaluation is expected to take a year to complete, with scientific findings reported every three months.
“This is a significant step forward in increasing scientific documentation of herbal-based medicine, and would help to raise the overall safety and efficacy standards of such medicine,” he said.
“Other than evaluating single chemical entities as anti-cancer agents, we have also started evaluating herbal preparations for the treatment of cancer.
“We follow the guidelines set by the national committee for research and development in herbal medicine based at the Institute of Medical Research, and strictly conform to the regulations laid out by the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau to ensure that our herbal products achieve the expected therapeutic effects,” said Dr Stanslas.
He added that the CRDD aimed to identify local natural resources that could provide leads to the treatment of cancer, promote drug discovery in Malaysia, establish international collaborations, and establish UPM as a centre of excellence in cancer research.
“The vision of CRDD is to facilitate the establishment of a national level cancer institute which can spearhead pre-clinical and clinical research on cancer.
“To achieve this, we need a lot of support from the university and the government,” he added.
A LOCAL university seems poised to take cancer research to a higher level.
Universiti Putra Malaysia's (UPM) lecturer Dr Johnson Stanslas, together with students from the university's department of biomedical sciences, is spearheading this work.
“The group's research focuses on the discovery and development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics from nature,” said Dr Stanslas about the work of the Cancer Research and Drug Discovery (CRDD) group.
“As I am based in the faculty of medicine and health sciences, a big chunk of my research focuses on the pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo evaluations of potential anti-cancer agents,” he said at the signing of a research and consultancy agreement between UPM and Autoimmune Sdn Bhd.
Under the agreement, Autoimmune Sdn Bhd's managing director, Patriek Yeoh, said UPM would evaluate some of Autoimmune's botanical-based formulations to produce scientific data which supports medical efficacy.
“This means UPM will be evaluating the in vitro (artificial environment) anti-cancer potential of Autoimmune's plant extracts and the in vivo potential of the company's purely herbal-based product known as Hepat for the treatment of liver toxicity,” he explained.
Yeoh explained that the evaluation is expected to take a year to complete, with scientific findings reported every three months.
“This is a significant step forward in increasing scientific documentation of herbal-based medicine, and would help to raise the overall safety and efficacy standards of such medicine,” he said.
“Other than evaluating single chemical entities as anti-cancer agents, we have also started evaluating herbal preparations for the treatment of cancer.
“We follow the guidelines set by the national committee for research and development in herbal medicine based at the Institute of Medical Research, and strictly conform to the regulations laid out by the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau to ensure that our herbal products achieve the expected therapeutic effects,” said Dr Stanslas.
He added that the CRDD aimed to identify local natural resources that could provide leads to the treatment of cancer, promote drug discovery in Malaysia, establish international collaborations, and establish UPM as a centre of excellence in cancer research.
“The vision of CRDD is to facilitate the establishment of a national level cancer institute which can spearhead pre-clinical and clinical research on cancer.
“To achieve this, we need a lot of support from the university and the government,” he added.
Ministry deregisters five Indon clinics
KUALA LUMPUR: Five clinics in Indonesia have been deregistered for falsely declaring some foreign workers bound for Malaysia as fit.
Another nine clinics in the country and one each in Cambodia and India have been placed under close scrutiny after stern warnings were issued to them.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said some of the clinics gave a healthy person's X-ray results and blood samples to ill workers.
“Some clinics overseas are not up to mark,” he said, adding that such cases were discovered during random checks on foreign workers upon their arrival.
The Government has approved 81 clinics in nine countries to carry out pre-entry medical examinations on foreign workers.
However, random checks on 16,899 workers (or 5% of the total number of foreign workers entering the country) last year found that 840 were suffering from communicable diseases, mainly Hepatitis B (52%), tuberculosis (12%), syphilis (7%), drug abuse (7%) and HIV infection (1.5%).
Dr Chua said the Government was now studying a proposal to set up a supervising and monitoring agency in the countries of origin to screen the workers.
“We are looking at a proposal from the private sector in Indonesia on the setting up of a surveillance and enforcement mechanism to curb fraud,” he told reporters after launching the Foreign Workers Medical Examination and Monitoring Agency's (Fomema) new logo and office here yesterday.
Currently, the monitoring mechanism is only available locally and managed by Fomema – an agency given a 15-year concession to examine and monitor the health of all foreign workers prior to their yearly visa renewal.
Dr Chua said Fomema's screening process was effective because the “unfit” rate among foreign workers showed a reduction with every visa renewal – 3.2% among first-timers compared to 1.4% among those with repeated renewals.
At the launch, Fomema announced a new on-line system for employers to register their foreign workers for medical examinations and to check the status through SMS (short message service) later.
The new features would cut waiting time by half during medical examinations and do away with repeated visits to Fomema offices.
KUALA LUMPUR: Five clinics in Indonesia have been deregistered for falsely declaring some foreign workers bound for Malaysia as fit.
Another nine clinics in the country and one each in Cambodia and India have been placed under close scrutiny after stern warnings were issued to them.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said some of the clinics gave a healthy person's X-ray results and blood samples to ill workers.
“Some clinics overseas are not up to mark,” he said, adding that such cases were discovered during random checks on foreign workers upon their arrival.
The Government has approved 81 clinics in nine countries to carry out pre-entry medical examinations on foreign workers.
However, random checks on 16,899 workers (or 5% of the total number of foreign workers entering the country) last year found that 840 were suffering from communicable diseases, mainly Hepatitis B (52%), tuberculosis (12%), syphilis (7%), drug abuse (7%) and HIV infection (1.5%).
Dr Chua said the Government was now studying a proposal to set up a supervising and monitoring agency in the countries of origin to screen the workers.
“We are looking at a proposal from the private sector in Indonesia on the setting up of a surveillance and enforcement mechanism to curb fraud,” he told reporters after launching the Foreign Workers Medical Examination and Monitoring Agency's (Fomema) new logo and office here yesterday.
Currently, the monitoring mechanism is only available locally and managed by Fomema – an agency given a 15-year concession to examine and monitor the health of all foreign workers prior to their yearly visa renewal.
Dr Chua said Fomema's screening process was effective because the “unfit” rate among foreign workers showed a reduction with every visa renewal – 3.2% among first-timers compared to 1.4% among those with repeated renewals.
At the launch, Fomema announced a new on-line system for employers to register their foreign workers for medical examinations and to check the status through SMS (short message service) later.
The new features would cut waiting time by half during medical examinations and do away with repeated visits to Fomema offices.
Ministries to submit paper on improving health services
THE Higher Education and Health Ministries will submit a working paper to the cabinet containing proposed solutions to improve the country’s health service.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh said the working paper would address problems such as the shortage of doctors in government hospitals as well as the quality of foreign doctors employed here.
“The Cabinet directed the two ministries to come up with the working paper on long term measures for the numerous problems of government hospitals. Among the areas covered are increasing the number of local doctors in government hospitals, wooing back Malaysian doctors and specialists serving abroad by making the service more attractive."
He said the two ministries had to work closely together towards this end as universities “supply hospitals with the doctors they require”.
“To accommodate these additional medical graduates in the future, hospitals must have better infrastructure, better facilities and must be expanded,” he said.“That is why it must be a joint initiative by both ministries,” he told reporters after opening the new Universiti Malaya Medical Centre Emergency and Trauma Centre recently.
THE Higher Education and Health Ministries will submit a working paper to the cabinet containing proposed solutions to improve the country’s health service.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh said the working paper would address problems such as the shortage of doctors in government hospitals as well as the quality of foreign doctors employed here.
“The Cabinet directed the two ministries to come up with the working paper on long term measures for the numerous problems of government hospitals. Among the areas covered are increasing the number of local doctors in government hospitals, wooing back Malaysian doctors and specialists serving abroad by making the service more attractive."
He said the two ministries had to work closely together towards this end as universities “supply hospitals with the doctors they require”.
“To accommodate these additional medical graduates in the future, hospitals must have better infrastructure, better facilities and must be expanded,” he said.“That is why it must be a joint initiative by both ministries,” he told reporters after opening the new Universiti Malaya Medical Centre Emergency and Trauma Centre recently.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)