One in six adults in Malaysia have diabetes, but more than half do not have good glucose control. With poorly controlled diabetes comes astronomical costs of treating the long-term complications - not only to patients and caregivers, but placing a huge burden on an under-resourced healthcare system. Prof Dr Sanjay Rampal and Prof Dr Lim Lee Ling from University of Malaya, co-authors of a recently-published study on diabetes control among Malaysians, join us to unpack why younger adults fare poorly in this regard, and how we can change treatment approaches to improve this trend.

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On this month’s Ask A Doctor, we are addressing questions about high cholesterol and blood pressure. Consultant cardiologist Dr Effarezan Abdul Rahman joins us to answer the most common concerns about these two conditions. 

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We’re often told that we must “move it or lose it” when it comes to our musculoskeletal health, and this is especially true in your older years. So what does “moving it” entail?  On this episode of Healthy Ageing, we speak to Dr Elaine Hong and Imelda Yong, co-founders of Breakfree Movement, to find out how exercise can be made easier and better for older adults.

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People who work in the health, social and education sectors are the foundation of society. Think of teachers, nurses, doctors, welfare providers, prison officers or community volunteers, all providing services and support that everyone needs at some point in their lives. But what are their needs and challenges, especially when working with children and adults who may be in difficult circumstances and trying to provide support to them? We find out how mental health support tailored to social sector, especially in the non-profit and impact spaces, can benefit them. 

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What if we could one day cure allergies, like that perennnial, pesky hayfever or your potentially life-threatening peanut allergy? In this mini series, we’ll be exploring the challenges scientists have faced in curing life-changing diagnoses, and what a cure would mean to people who live with these conditions. To answer this question, we’re joined by consultant allergist and paediatric immunologist Associate Professor Dr Adli Ali.

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The question of whether vapes and e-cigarettes should be banned outright has arisen again, with Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad saying that the Ministry is only focusing on enforcing current regulations for now. What are the pros and cons of a strict ban on all vaping products? How do other countries, such as New Zealand, approach the regulation of vape use? We explore with Prof Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed, Leader, Smokefree Sejahtera Campus Community Flagship 3.0 programme, IIUM, and Prof Chris Bullen, Professor of Public Health at University of Auckland.

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The healthcare workforce in Malaysia is currently facing a multitude of challenges that threaten the sustainability and effectiveness of the healthcare system. On this episode of Public Health, we wade through the controversies and confusion over issues like shift hours, on-call allowances, and working conditions, with Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy, and Dr Timothy Cheng, Chairman of the Malaysian Medical Association’s Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (MMA SCHOMOS).

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What is it like working as the doctor no one likes to see? It’s not uncommon for many of us to fear a visit to the dentist, but in this episode of Humans of Healthcare, we want to hear what it is like for dentists when their patients are scared of them - or, more accurately, the procedures they’re about to do, with consultant paediatric dentist Dr Tengku Maryam Fatimah Tengku Ab Malek.

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What if we could one day cure all genetic diseases? Would it be ethical to do so, even if we could? In this mini series, we’ll be exploring the challenges scientists have faced in curing life-changing diagnoses, and what a cure would mean to people who live with these conditions. Joining us for this episode, we have neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar and bioethicist Dr Nishakanthi Gopalan, both from Universiti Malaya.

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Your risk of getting cancer increases as you age, but these days, it seems like we hear more and more about people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s being diagnosed with cancer too. Are young adults more at risk of cancer than they were a decade ago? How would this change our approach to screening and treatment of these cancers? In conjunction with World Cancer Day (Tuesday, 4th February), we discuss this with Dato’ Dr Saunthari Somasundaram, president of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.

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