Free Syringes And Condoms Because AIDS At Emergency Level, Says PM

DOHA, June 16 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the pilot programme to give free syringes and condoms to drug addicts as a means to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country will be implemented because the situation has reached an emergency level.
"This is not a waste but if there are better suggestions the government is prepared to consider them," the prime minister told Malaysian journalists after attending the Second South Summit of G77 and China which ended, here Thursday.
Abdullah said information sessions on the programme would be held as soon a possible for those who opposed the move.
He said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek would be present at the meetings with the opposing groups, which would be coordinated by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohamed Zin, to explain the move in detail.
He said the move to provide free syringes and condoms had to be carried out because Chua had confirmed at the Cabinet meeting recently that the HIV/AIDS situation had reached an emergency level as the affected group was still actively involved in drug addiction and sex.
Abdullah said that if these people were not given syringe and condom aid they might spread the disease to their wives or partners.
"This is dangerous because it will spread," he said.
He said that according to the Health Ministry's analysis, giving free syringes and condoms would not be a waste of government funds but would instead by a saving.
He said that if the situation had reached a level where it posed a danger to the people because the disease could be spread easily, the government felt compelled to adopt this approach to solve the problem.
"If (we) don't want the infection to escalate, if (we) want to curb the spread, we must take appropriate measures," he said.
He said that from the religious point of view, if an emergency had occurred or would occur, the proposed move could be taken as a prevention. Chua had earlier announced that the pilot programme would be implemented at 10 government and private clinics in October and would involve 1,200 drug addicts.

No to medical courses from Ukraine's Crimea State Medical University

PUTRAJAYA: Medical undergraduate programmes offered by the Crimea State Medical University in Ukraine will no longer be recognised.
Malaysian Medical Council president Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said it would be withdrawing its recognition of the programmes to any student being registered and admitted after Dec 31 this year.
Among the reasons cited for the withdrawal included the dubious qualifications of students admitted for the institute’s medical studies, the difficulty of its medical graduates in using technical jargons in English and the possible strain on the quality of teaching due to the sudden increase in intake.
“For those who are enrolled in the first year of their medical studies in this institute, they can continue. But for those who are going to enter pre-medical studies in September, I would advise them not to go,” he told reporters today.
“The council will not compromise on patient's safety and shall always ensure that medical undergraduates have the required knowledge and skills to practice medicine safely,” said Ismail.

Crimea degrees status in limbo

More than 1,000 Malaysians studying at the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) in Ukraine may be in limbo tomorrow.
Their fate depends on an announcement to be made by the Health Ministry on the possible withdrawal of recognition for medical programmes at CSMU.
A statement from the Health Ministry today said director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Merican will hold a Press conference tomorrow on the withdrawal of recognition for medical-based degrees from the university.
If recognition is withdrawn, Malaysian students pursuing pre-university and medical degrees there will face a dilemma.
It is possible, however, that the current batch of students may be exempted in the event recognition is withdrawn. About a third of the students are sponsored by Mara and Yayasan Selangor.
The Public Service Department has recognised the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees from CSMU since 2001, so graduates need not sit for a qualifying examination to practise in Malaysia upon graduation.
The medical degrees are also recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council.
When contacted, Dr Subendran Arumugam, director of Ukrainian Medical Education Sdn Bhd, which represents CSMU in Malaysia, said the university had no knowledge of any withdrawal.
"Any withdrawal of recognition should be communicated to the university," he said in a telephone interview from the Ukraine.
"If we are not complying with any requirements, we should be informed and a grace period given for compliance. If we still do not comply, only then should they withdraw recognition."

Russian medical degrees still recognised

PUTRAJAYA: Reducing the number of Public Service Department scholars in Russia will not affect recognition of the country’s medical degrees.
PSD public relations officer Hasniah Rashid said the Cabinet decision would only affect the figures and not the status of privately-funded students.
“They don’t have to worry as their degrees are already in the list of those recognised by both the department and the Malaysian Medical Council,” she said here.
In a statement last week, Hasniah had said that this year the department increased the number of students to the Middle East, especially to Egypt, and reduced the number of students to Russia, in accordance with a Cabinet decision last November to review the sponsorship of scholars to that country.
When contacted, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said the Government was also concerned over the high number of Malaysian students enrolled in the five Russian universities and another in Ukraine.
“Currently, there are more than 1,000 Malaysian students there. This number is still reasonable.
“But we are concerned that if there is a drastic increase, this may affect the student-lecturer ratio as well as the lack in the availability of facilities and laboratories to students, all of which may contribute to a decline in quality,” he said, adding that the ministry would monitor the situation.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Salleh said the decision was made upon the request of parents.
“We have received many complaints from parents who are dissatisfied with the conditions and facilities of some universities in Russia and Ukraine.
“We are looking at other destinations such as Egypt and Australia that are also closer to home,” he said.

Women urged to take charge of contraception

“Yasmin Take Charge!” — this is the latest campaign by the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia (OGSM) to educate women and their partners on family planning.
Launched at a hotel here yesterday, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Associate Professor Dr Jamiyah Hassan, said the campaign is to educate women not to place their lives in the hands of their physicians when it comes to using contraception.
“Women have to learn what and how they use contraception, especially those taken orally as they may have negative effects.
“Through this campaign, we hope to educate women on their right to choose which form of contraception is best for them, instead of just being handed to them by their physicians,” said Dr Jamiyah, a past president of the society.
On family planning, OGSM president Dr Ravi Chandran said sex is given high priority in society but the planning of pregnancies, however, is not.
“Many unwanted pregnancies have led to social issues such as abandoned babies and maternal deaths due to dangerous abortions. Studies have shown that effective contraception can save lives,” he said, adding that the campaign’s effort is in line with the latest initiatives by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
He said that 50 per cent of Malaysian women do not use contraceptives.
As such, the need for the campaign is crucial.

Heart fund feels the pinch

It is always an uphill battle raising funds for charity, as Datuk Christine Vanhouten knows full well.
The former senator, now president of the Society for Sabah Heart Fund, laments the rising costs and number of patients who need help, against a backdrop of decreasing amount of donations trickling in.
"When we started the association in 1981, we used to be able to send 10 to 15 patients a year for corrective heart surgery.
"Last year, we only managed five. We have sent five this year and are in the process of sending a sixth patient," she said at her office yesterday.
The economic downturn in 1997 had probably affected people’s spending power and that, in turn, had reduced donations.
"Timber concessionaires and business owners used to donate generously, but that ceased after the downturn."
"Now we have to work extra hard to lobby for donations and raise awareness through charity dinners, marathons and public seminars. It has been quite tough."
Despite the difficulties, the association has managed to send 377 heart patients for surgery.
Of these, 90 per cent were children, most with hole-in- the-heart conditions. Almost all were from the hardcore poor.
"We will always have a long waiting list for patients who need surgery, but we can only take urgent cases first while some can end up waiting for years and years."
What makes it worthwhile for Vanhouten is when patients who have recovered and gone on to lead normal, successful lives return for a visit.
"When they come back with children in tow and offer us kind words and donations in return, it’s a great feeling.
"You know you made a difference in someone’s life."

Malaysia HIV measures under fire

Malaysia's Health Minister Chua Soi Lek has asked religious leaders to drop their opposition to moves to contain the spread of HIV.
Mr Chua was reacting to a World Health Organization warning that the country was on the verge of an HIV epidemic.
Senior Muslim clerics have criticised plans to distribute free condoms, saying it would encourage promiscuity.
The WHO sounded the alarm after studying health ministry data on HIV infection in Malaysia.
The WHO said the virus was in danger of spreading out of control, especially among intravenous drug users.
More than three quarters of the 65,000 cases of HIV infection reported in Malaysia since 1996 have been attributed to the sharing of needles.
But the proportion of cases thought to be due to sexual transmission has also more than doubled in the same period.
Mr Chua has advocated a pragmatic approach, giving out free needles and condoms to reduce the spread of HIV.
It is a brave stand in a country whose many religious groups are united primarily by their conservatism.
Mr Chua will try to win his opponents round when he meets ulamas - Muslim religious teachers - next week.
The senior Muslim cleric in the state of Perak has already decried the plan to hand out free condoms, saying it would lead to more illicit sex.
Political leaders in two other states have said drug addicts, or those who are HIV positive, should only be given condoms if they are married.

HIV Alert!:WHO warns Malaysia on the threshold of an epidemic

An HIV epidemic is knocking on Malaysia’s door.
This startling conclusion was reached by the World Health Organisation (WHO) after its officials studied statistics and spoke to Ministry of Health personnel.
It disclosed that some 15,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS in Malaysia. Dr Hans Tieru, the WHO representative, said that the development of the HIV situation here was being monitored closely by the world organisation.
"It was only after studies were carried out that a finding was made that Malaysia was at the initial stage of an HIV epidemic," he said. This was reported in the UNAIDS/WHO Report on the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic 2004.
Nearly 65,000 people have been diagnosed with HIV since 1996. Of this number, 9,444 have developed full- blown AIDS and 7,195 have died.
But the authorities and non-governmental organisations believe the official figures are only a conservative estimate.
Drug use lies behind the bulk of the HIV/AIDS cases in Malaysia. There are 130,000 intravenous drug users, many of whom share needles, raising the risk of infection.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said he was troubled by the WHO finding. "This is a challenge for all Malaysians. We have to find a way to stop the spread of HIV," he said.
The situation called for radical approaches, including free distribution of condoms and clean needles to stop the spread of infection among drug users, he said.
But Dr Chua also sounded a note of caution. Though most HIV-positive Malaysians were drug addicts, a growing number of people were being infected through sexual contact.

Walking school' for hospital

University Malaya Medical Centre is introducing the "Douglas Bader Walking School" at its physiotherapy unit to help patients with walking disabilities.
HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad contributed RM211,000 towards the initial costs.
The centre’s head of rehabilitation medicine, Associate Prof Datuk Dr Zaliha Omar, said an average of 100 patients a day undergo physiotherapy, and the "walking school" is expected to help them recover more quickly.
The Douglas Bader Walking School is a model of the facilities and rehabilitation training required to take amputees to a higher level of personal management.
It is part of the Douglas Bader Foundation, formed by the family and friends of Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, British hero and legend, and a double amputee, who died in 1982.

Carpets linked to asthma

The increasing use of carpets and upholstery in Malaysian homes may be leading to more dust mites, and child asthma cases.
Kuala Lumpur Hospital consultant pulmonary and critical care physician Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai said the situation was compounded by poor ventilation due to lack of fresh air in homes.
"People are having less opportunity to air their rooms or place mattresses in the sun to kill dust mites," he told the New Straits Times.
He said seven per cent of adult Malaysians had symptoms of asthma, and 78 per cent of them fell into the category of mild asthmatics.
While Dr Jeyaindran’s theory has yet to be substantiated by research studies, he feels that the changing environment at homes and offices has contributed to an increase in dust mites.
Asthma results from a complex interaction between the individual and his environment.
He said studies had shown that asthma was a major cause of school absenteeism, which led to poor performance in school and lost working hours for parents.
Dr Jeyaindran, a member of the Global Initiative for Asthma Assembly and advisory board, said asthma was also a problem regionally with at least 36 per cent of children absenting themselves from school because of it.
He said 10 per cent of patients at the Accident and Emergency Departments in hospitals nationwide daily were asthmatics.

Free Condoms And Needles For Addicts Not A Waste- Chua

The cost of providing free condoms and syringes to drug addicts is expected to cost RM145 million annually but will help avoid 90,000 new HIV infections, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Monday.
He said the government was seriously thinking of introducing the measure (free provision of needles and condoms to drug addicts) as the cost of treating HIV patients had exceeded RM500 million yearly.
"That is the cost of medication only and does not include other costs," he told reporters after opening the Millennium Development Goals Seminar organised by his ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) here.
Dr Chua said almost 40 per cent of drug addicts who were HIV positive also contracted other illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia which further added to the cost of treatment.
"In short, providing the needles and condoms is not a waste of the people's money ... in terms of savings, it is triple the amount," he said.
Earlier this month, Dr Chua announced that the government was seriously considering providing syringes and condoms for free to drug addicts to stem the spread of HIV.
However, the proposal received various reactions, with ulamas and religious organisations fearing the move would lead to indiscriminate sex while non-governmental organisations lauded the move.
Dr Chua added that he and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohamed Zin would meet with ulama groups soon to clarify the issue.

Designer drugs just as dangerous

There is ignorance among the public, including professionals, that designer drugs are not as dangerous as the “hardcore stuff”, so the Government wants to sensitise the public to their dangers.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said government doctors and private practitioners must look out for addiction to designer drugs and not just hardcore drugs as this problem had become more acute.
“Designer drugs are as dangerous as any hardcore drugs, even if they come in different name.
“The problem is that young people do not understand the risk in consuming what they call party or designer drugs when they go to discotheques or parties,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after chairing the state MCA liaison committee meeting yesterday, Dr Chua said the number of people using traditional drugs such as heroin, opium, morphine and ganja was on a downward trend but consumption of designer drugs was increasing.
“This can be attributed to its easy availability and ignorance over the dangers of taking such drugs.
“I would say that reports stating that there were 25 deaths due to designer drug-related problem is under reporting. These incidents are only in the Klang Valley. What about the other places?” he asked.
A daily had reported that 25 Malaysians, aged between 18 and 26, had died from designer-drug related deaths in the past 18 months in the Klang Valley.
The daily quoted police sources as saying that the big increase in rave parties and the mistaken belief that it was safe to consume designer drugs were among the contributing factors.
Dr Chua said that relevant parties would also have to be trained to identify, treat and counsel those suffering from designer drug addiction.
On another matter, the Health Minister said rectification, renovation and defumigation works were being conducted at the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Pandan, which had been plagued with fungal problems over the past few months.
“Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had informed me that the job would be completed by August and the hospital would be handed over to my ministry.”
The hospital would only start operating when the ministry is satisfied over its safety, he said.
The 740-bed hospital, costing RM557.8mil, was closed on Sept 25 last year after it was hit by a major fungal infection just two months after it started operations.

Training more specialists

A new batch of 227 trained doctors have just joined Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) post-graduate masters degree programme and will graduate in four years’ time.
UKM medical faculty dean Prof Dr Lokman Saim said: “The masters degrees enable doctors to specialise in fields according to their interests. There is a choice of 15 specialist degrees here including anaesthesiology, internal medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, radiology, family medicine, and obstetrics and gynaecology.”
UKM’s medical faculty (for undergraduate studies) was established in May 1972. Ever since it started its first postgraduate training programme in orthopaedic surgery and general surgery in 1981, it has produced more than 1,500 specialists. On average, the university produces about 190 specialists annually.
The four-year structured masters programme emphasises clinical and surgical expertise.
“This is our biggest batch so far. We have doctors from various government agencies such as the Ministries of Health and Defence and Kuala Lumpur City Hall,” said Prof Lokman, adding that there were 200 doctors in the previous year’s batch.
There are also eight foreign doctors on the programme. Prof Lokman explained that the doctors were required to work regular hours during their post-graduate training.
“They run clinics, do operations and go on-call. At the same time, they attend intensive courses run by the departments they want to specialise in.
“But they don’t attend lectures or tutorials. Instead, each doctor is assigned to a supervisor who is a consultant specialist. It is an apprenticeship” he said.
Prof Lokman added that not all 227 doctors were based at the UKM Hospital as the university recognises other hospitals as training centres. However, the doctors do go back to UKM for a certain time period.
“The doctors are required to do research as well as fill in a log-book on the work they have done such as the operations they have carried out,” he said.
Examinations are also held – the doctors have three chances to pass.
“Although we accept any doctor who is eligible for the programme in terms of age and qualifications, not all will qualify as specialists,” he said.

Medical Faculties At Varsities Able To Handle Bigger Intake Of Students

The government has increased the teaching capacity at the medical faculties of all the public universities to cater to a bigger intake of students, Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Mohd Salleh said.
He said this was to prevent a recurrence of last year's problem where 128 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia top scorers failed to get places to study medicine locally.
Dr Shafie said basic facilities such as teaching equipment had been improved or upgraded and more lecturers had been recruited since last year.
"So far, so good. I am quite sure that what happened last year will not happen again," he told reporters after launching the Career and Education Fair 2005 here.
Last year, after a public outcry, the government awarded the top scorers Public Service Department scholarships to study medicine overseas.
Dr Shafie also said that the announcement of this year's university intake would be made before the end of the month as the new 2005/2006 session begins in July.
In another development, Shafie said he had approved the unpaid leave of University Malaya economist Assoc Prof Dr Terence Gomez who had tendered his resignation after the university did not approve his two-year secondment to take up a research post in the United Nations.
"I only saw the application yesterday and I approved it," he said when asked by reporters to comment on the matter.
Shafie said he had also rejected Gomez's resignation, which means the economist could return to the university after completing his two-year secondment in Geneva.

Caring for the disabled

Helping the disabled to lead independent lives, regardless of race or religion, is what the Beautiful Gate Foundation is all about.
In 1993 Pastor Sia Siew Chin (picture), 39, had a vision to set up a "caring ministry" for the disabled and she approached the Chinese Methodist Church in Malaysia for help.
Two years later, the first Beautiful Gate Disabled People Caring Centre in Petaling Jaya was set up. Subsequently, three more centres in Kepong, Kampar (Perak) and Seremban were set up.
Sia is now founding executive director of the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled, which was registered two years ago.
Sia said the foundation organised activities, provided employment assistance, counselling and skills training to 1,000 resident and non-resident members and their families.
"We need RM50,000 a month to run the four centres," she said.
The foundation is working on setting up a fifth centre in Batu Berendam, Malacca.
The Petaling Jaya centre focuses on career development where members pick up work and living skills.
The Kepong centre is a rehabilitation centre for those with spinal injuries.
The Kampar centre sticks to education where the young disabled with little or no formal education receive basic education and learn to be independent.
The Seremban centre will be developed into the country’s first performing arts centre for the disabled.
Despite the foundation’s achievement in helping the disabled, Sia hopes for more government aid for the disabled.
"We do not have definite statistics of disabled people but we need to include their family members, who are also affected," she said.
The main centre is at 29, Jalan SS2/59, 47300, Petaling Jaya. For more information, call 03-78736579 or email bgcentre@yahoo.com.

Govt Acts To Create A Nation Of Healthy People

The government is turning words into deeds in its desire to create a nation of healthy people.
Today it announced a plan to establish a community health promotion centre in every state under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010).
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his speech at the launch of the national-level healthy lifestyle campaign here. The text of Abdullah's speech was read out by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan.
Abdullah said these community health promotion centres would provide health packages that would enhance the people's knowledge and skills in four areas: healthy eating, engaging in physical activity, cultivating a healthy mind, and refraining from smoking.
A pilot project has been established at the Seberang Jaya Community Health Clinic in Penang, he said.
"The establishment of these centres is to realise the government's desire for the people of Malaysia to be healthy and well," said Abdullah.
He said the primary challenge the government faced in building a society that practised a healthy lifestyle at all times was changing the behavioural pattern of the society.
The prime minister said it was not easy to alter the behavioural pattern of society, adding that it could not be achieved overnight.
"We need much time to ensure that society not only changes its behavioural pattern but also maintains the new practice continuously," he said.
He said the government did not wish to have a situation where the people engaged in physical exercise and consumed healthy food for some time and then went back to their old ways.
The prime minister said that understanding the difficulty in changing a society's behavioural pattern, the government was encouraging promotion of a healthy lifestyle by establishing the relevant infrastructure and services.
Abdullah said the government, through the Health Ministry, always gave serious attention to the provision of excellent health facilities for the people.
Up to 2003, he said, the Health Ministry had established 117 hospitals, 864 health clinics, 1,847 rural clinics and 95 maternal and child health clinics in the country.
Abdullah also said that the situation of non-infectious ailments, particularly cardiovascular disease, that the nation faced now was most serious and worrying.
"Therefore, the government through the Health Ministry always strived to enhance health education and promotion among the people," he said.
Abdullah said one cause of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity was the lack of physical activity.
The prime minister said the government's desire to create a nation of healthy people would not be achieved without the commitment of every individual and organisation in the society.
"Every member of society must play his or her respective role in helping the Health Ministry to realise its vision of building a healthy and active Malaysian society," he said.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek was also present at the launch of the three-day campaign.

Ministry Uses Holistic Approach In Healthy Lifestyle Campaign

The Health Ministry has used a more holistic approach in its healthy lifestyle campaign from 2003 that carried the healthy-for-life theme, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He said the new approach focused on four factors, which were healthy eating, engaging in physical activity, cultivating a healthy mind, and refraining from smoking.
He said the message was conveyed to the people right to their homes, schools, work places and recreational centres.
Dr Chua spoke to reporters after the launching of the national-level healthy lifestyle campaign 2005 at Dataran Kemang in Teluk Kemang here by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The campaign, aimed at promoting health and eliminating diseases acquired through a poor lifestyle, was started in 1991.
Chua said that initially the campaign focused on instilling awareness among the people on the diseases which affected them. This was followed by emphasising the ways to avoid serious diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.
He said that this time the ministry had extended the promotion to the whole country.
"State Health Departments are holding carnivals on healthy living at state level and they have received good response from the people and leaders," he said.
"Various activities which increase awareness among the people on maintaining health were held during the carnivals," he said.
He said the people should acquire sound knowledge of how to maintain their health after attending the carnivals.

RI favors Malaysian hospitals

Indonesians are increasingly looking to Malaysia for medical treatment.
Malaysian deputy tourism minister Achmad Zahid Hamidi said on Friday that, last year, Indonesians visiting Malaysia for medical purposes reached 126,000 out of 174,000 foreigners receiving medical treatment in the country.
The 126,000 Indonesians were among 789,000 Indonesians to visit Malaysia that year, said Hamidi, saying Indonesian visitors had generated 1.125 million ringgit in revenue for the Malaysian government or Rp 2.2 trillion.
"Patients stay in hospital for 12 days on average," said Hamidi, while promoting Malaysian hospital in the West Java capital of Bandung.
Hamid said the Indonesian patients spent 1,500 ringgit a day each on average. The Malaysian hospitals obtained Rp 600 billion from the patients or some 252 million ringgit.
He said there are 25 hospitals in Malaysia that are certified to receive foreign patients, including in Penang, Selangor and Johor.
"They have been approved by the International Organization for Standardization, and their quality is controlled by the Malaysian government," said Roslan Othman, the director of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board.
Fertility, skin care, slimming and cardiology clinics are especially popular, while other patients just want a general checkup, said Selangor State Minister for Tourism, Health and Consumer Affair Lim Thuang Seng.
"One patient usually travels with two or three others ... they also visit tourist spots and shop," said Lim.
Hamidi said the success rate in Malaysian hospitals was 54 percent.

ChondroGene Enters into Clinical Collaborations with Two Malaysian Hospitals

ChondroGene Limited (TSX Venture: CDG) announced
today that it has entered into clinical collaborations with Lam Wah EE
Hospital and Island Hospital, two leading hospitals in Penang, Malaysia.
"These are two of the most prestigious hospitals in Malaysia and South
East Asia," stated Malaysian-born Dr. C.C. Liew, Chief Scientific Officer of
ChondroGene. "Malaysia has extremely modern healthcare facilities staffed with
many North American and European trained physicians and researchers.
Initially, these hospitals will be a key source of genetically diverse
clinical samples in a variety of disease areas. Eventually, they will offer
their patients ChondroGene's molecular diagnostic tests and services based on
the Sentinel Principle."
The hospitals will begin collecting blood samples from consenting
patients in disease areas that coincide with ChondroGene's primary areas of
interest - cancer, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system disorders
and arthritis. The information from these samples will provide additional data
useful in identifying blood-based biomarkers for specific diseases. The data
will also be added to ChondroGene's growing database of gene expression
profiles which currently contains profiles from several thousand people
possessing a wide range of disease conditions, as well as from normal
patients. The hospitals have also agreed to offer ChondroGene's molecular
tests to their patients, as these tests become available.
"We are pleased to be working with these two key hospitals in the
region," stated K. Wayne Marshall, President and CEO of ChondroGene. "We
expect to enter into similar relationships with other organizations around the
world in the future in order to further expand the genetic diversity of our
gene expression database as we move towards developing commercial products."

Health Minister Declines Open Debate On Free Condoms For Addicts

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said Friday he did not wish to engage in an open debate, including through the media, on his ministry's proposal to distribute free needles and condoms to self-confessed drug addicts to check the spread of HIV/Aids.
"I will not respond to any opinion on the matter because at this stage we are still compiling information on the matter," he said.
Speaking at a press conference after visiting the Cameron Highlands Hospital project in Tanah Rata here, he said he would explain the issue at a press briefing after "all sides had expressed their opinion".
The ministry proposed to distribute free needles, condoms and methadone to a group of drug addicts under a pilot programme as a means of checking the spread of HIV/Aids.
Several state governments, including Perak, Terengganu dan Selangor, had opposed the proposal and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali had suggested that the issue be discussed at a special meeting of the Council of Muftis.
"The proposal is part of our responsibility to improve the health of the people ... we do not want to be known as a developing nation with a high incidence of HIV," Dr Chua said.
Meanwhile, he said the government's decision to stop building large hospitals under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and to upgrade existing ones was because the existing 125 hospitals were sufficient and that some of the hospitals were not fully utilised.
He said only one or two places still needed a large hospital while at other places smaller hospitals would be built, or existing hospitals would be upgraded.
He added that small hospitals would be equipped with equipment such as X-rays, maternity wards, children's wards and pharmacies.
According to him, the government would from now adopt the tender system for projects under his ministry to reduce costs. Some hospitals cost more than five star hotels to build, and when the cost was calculated per bed, each bed cost RM1.1 million, he said.
On the Cameron Highlands Hospital, he said it would be completed in March next year.