- S E G A L A_ M A C A M_ P E N Y A K I T -

fatzcomel

Health Ministry exercises extra caution with pills related to sex, slimming
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 November 2008 2228 hrs


Power 1 Walnut
SINGAPORE : Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the Health Sciences Authority imposes stringent controls on western pharmaceutical medicines and herbal Chinese proprietary medicines (CPM).

The written response was in reply to MP for Sembawang GRC Ellen Lee who asked if all medicinal, herbal or related items from China are screened and tested.

Mr Khaw said constant surveillance is carried out - from when the medicinal products are imported, down to when they are on sale.

He said additional attention is paid to higher risk products that are more likely to be adulterated, such as sexual enhancement and slimming pills. For such products, the seller will have to submit more test reports.

However, Mr Khaw pointed out that routine testing will only detect known and expected chemical contaminants. If new chemicals are added by an unscrupulous trader, existing tests will not detect them.

He cautioned the public against buying products from dubious sources, like back alley shops or the Internet.

There are currently 5,000 western medicine and more than 8,000 CPM products on the agency's register. - CNA /ls

fatzcomel

CARA ATASI MATA SEMBAP

KELOPAK mata 'jatuh', mata sembab dan kedut di sekeliling mata - ini semua boleh membuat seseorang berasa kurang senang, terutama jika dirinya masih muda.

Apakah yang boleh dilakukan untuk menghilangkannya? Untuk mengetahuinya, silalah hadir ke forum awam 'Eye Care - I Care' (Penjagaan Mata Keprihatinan Saya) anjuran Hospital Alexandra (AH).

Ia akan berlangsung pada Sabtu, 29 November, dari 9 pagi hingga 12 tengah hari di auditorium AH.

Para doktor dari Jabatan Optalmologi dan Sains Penglihatan (OVS) AH akan memberikan penjelasan mengenai masalah-masalah ini, selain masalah mata gatal dan pencegahannya.

Mereka terdiri daripada Dr Yip Chee Chew, konsultan kanan dan Ketua Jabatan OVS serta pendaftar jabatan itu, Dr Sanjay Srinivasan.

Untuk keterangan lanjut, telefon Cik Alice How di 6379-3741 atau e-mel kepada alice_sh_how@alexhosp.com.sg



*********************

PUSAT RAWATAN MATA DIBUKA

KUMPULAN syarikat Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) baru-baru ini merasmikan pembukaan sebuah pusatnya yang baru di Singapura - Pusat Teknikal, Latihan dan Pendidikan Asia-Pasifik - bernilai $1.5 juta.

Pusat terbesar di Asia-Pasifik itu dibina untuk melatih lebih 100 pakar penjagaan mata setahun melalui penggunaan produk-produk AMO.

Dengan kemudahan terbaru itu, jumlah pelaburan AMO di sini mencapai lebih $40 juta.

Antara latihan yang akan dijalani pakar-pakar penjagaan mata itu ialah prosedur pembedahan terbaru untuk katarak seperti pembedahan laser mata refraktif.

Ini termasuk pembedahan 'iLasik' yang menggunakan teknologi yang diluluskan Pentadbiran Penerbangan dan Angkasa Lepas Kebangsaan (Nasa), selain prosedur 'Lasik mono-vision' untuk membaiki presbiopia iaitu masalah yang menyebabkan mata kian sukar fokus kepada objek dekat dengan usia bertambah.

AMO berpangkalan di Santa Ana, California, di Amerika Syarikat dan mempunyai sekitar 4,000 kakitangan di seluruh dunia. Kumpulan syarikat itu beroperasi di 30 negara dan mengedarkan produknya di sekitar 60 negara.

fatzcomel

Luar Negara : 25 November 2008         
         
BUDAK DIMASUKKAN KE ICU SEHARI LEPAS SERTAI PROGRAM KHATAN BERAMAI-RAMAI

KUALA LUMPUR: Kegelisahan seorang ibu untuk mendaftarkan anaknya menyertai program berkhatan beramai-ramai menjadi petanda awal malang akan menimpanya.

Anaknya, Mohd Farhan Ishahak, 10 tahun, terpaksa dirujuk ke Unit Rawatan Rapi (ICU) Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) untuk rawatan lanjut berikutan kesakitan melampau yang dialaminya, dipercayai kesan berkhatan itu.

Kaedah berkhatan itu menggunakan alat tertentu yang disarungkan pada kemaluan.

Bapa kanak-kanak itu, Encik Ishahak Mak, 40 tahun, berkata sehari selepas dikhatankan, Farhan mengadu sakit ketika hendak membuang air kecil.

'Keadaannya bertambah teruk kerana sepanjang malam dia meraung dan menangis kesakitan apabila hendak membuang air kecil.

'Lebih mengejutkan kawasan sekitar bawah pusatnya menjadi kehitaman, selain buah zakar membengkak.

'Memikirkan kesakitannya akan berterusan sehingga ke pagi, dia dibawa ke klinik berhampiran. Bagaimanapun, apabila melihat keadaannya kian teruk, kami mengambil keputusan membawanya ke PPUM,' katanya.

Anak beliau perlu menjalani pembedahan bagi menghalang jangkitan akibat penggunaan alat itu.

Doktor yang bertanggungjawab menguruskan majlis berkhatan itu ketika dihubungi berkata jangkitan kuman berlaku kerana kanak-kanak itu tidak membuang air kecil.

'Sepatutnya ibu bapa Farhan menghubungi saya dengan segera bagi membolehkan tindakan diambil seperti membuang alat itu bagi membolehkan dia membuang air kecil.

'Ibu bapanya mungkin tidak mendapat maklumat secukupnya. Mereka tidak hadir pada taklimat yang ditetapkan berhubung program berkhatan itu,' katanya.

Peserta hanya perlu membayar RM10 ($4.20) seorang.

Seramai 300 peserta menjalani upacara berkhatan itu. -- Harian Metro.

betul ke doktor ni ?.....

fatzcomel

Singapura : 26 November 2008        

MATI MUNGKIN AKIBAT AMBIL UBAT RANGSANG SEKS

KESEMUA lima lelaki yang terkorban disebabkan paras gula yang rendah dan ini mungkin disebabkan pengambilan ubat perangsang seks haram.

Demikian diputuskan mahkamah koroner semalam yang mengadakan siasatan terhadap kematian lima lelaki itu semalam. Mereka berumur antara 36 dan 67 tahun.

Penjaga stor Allahyarham Mohamed Hadri Abdullah alias Teo Eng Sng, 54 tahun, menemui ajal pada 30 Mac; tukang kayu mendiang Koh Seng Hee, 49 tahun, pada 15 April; pengawal keselamatan Allahyarham Achmad Yunus Basri, 51 tahun, pada 8 Mei; pegawai keselamatan mendiang S. K. Chris, 67 tahun, pada 14 Jun; dan penjual kereta sewa mendiang Tang Hiong, 36 tahun, pada 16 Ogos.

Koroner Negara, Encik Victor Yeo, berkata oleh kerana tidak ada bukti yang jelas, seseorang tidak boleh memutuskan kelima-lima lelaki itu mengambil ubat perangsang seks haram bagi merangsang kelakonan seks mereka.

Beliau menambah, apa yang lebih membimbangkan ialah sumber dadah itu masih belum diketahui.

Bagaimana lima mangsa itu memiliki dadah itu juga tidak jelas.

Turut masih samar-samar ialah sama ada kelima-lima lelaki itu telah membelinya, dan jika ya, siapakah penjualnya, atau sama ada dadah itu telah diberikan rakan-rakan, tambah Encik Yeo lagi.

Kelima-lima lelaki itu mempunyai kandungan glibenclamide yang digunakan untuk merawat paras gula yang tinggi bagi pesakit kencing manis. Ada juga didapati mempunyai kandungan sidenafil, bahan aktif untuk Viagra bagi merawat masalah lemah syahwat.

Paras gula terlalu rendah boleh membawa kepada koma dan kematian jika ia dibiarkan tanpa dirawat.

'Melihat kepada pelbagai keadaan bagi pengambilan dan sumber dadah yang tidak diketahui oleh mahkamah, adalah sesuai untuk mencatatkan keputusan terbuka bagi setiap kes kematian lelaki itu,' ujarnya lagi.

Beliau berharap hasil siasatan itu akan menjadi peringatan kepada semua pengguna yang mungkin berhasrat mengambil ubat perangsang seks haram.

fatzcomel

Healthy papaya

Do not turn your nose up at the humble papaya. This tropical fruit has several healthy benefits, reported WebMD (www.webMD.com).

It is one of the top sources of beta-crypoxanthin, which research suggests can protect against lung cancer. It is also a rich source of lycopene.

'Although there is currently no recommendation for how much lycopene you should consume in a day, research shows that the nutrient may protect against several different types of cancer, including stomach, endometrial and prostate," says nutrition expert David Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life!

Papayas may also help speed burn recovery when used topically, thanks partly to the enzyme papain, which also aids in digestion.

'Papain helps break down amino acids, the building blocks of protein," says American Dietetic Association spokesman Elisa Zied.

This story was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, on Nov 27, 2008.






[ Last edited by  fatzcomel at 2-12-2008 09:53 PM ]

fatzcomel

AVA lifts ban on Julie's biscuits
By Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 December 2008 1222 hrs


Julie's Butter Crackers

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has lifted the ban on the "Julie's" brand of biscuits.

All new batches of "Julie's" brand biscuits, manufactured on or after 2 December 2008, will be allowed to be imported into Singapore.

Each consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate and laboratory report.

AVA said it has inspected the factories that manufacture "Julie's" biscuits in Malaysia.

AVA added that it is satisfied with the measures taken by the manufacturer and the Malaysian authorities to ensure that the products are not contaminated with melamine.

Imports of all "Julie's" biscuits were suspended on 24 October as a precautionary measure, after 12 of the product were found to be contaminated with melamine.

- CNA/yb

fatzcomel

Dec 2, 2008
Boy with HFMD dies
By Esther Tan

12-year-old Muhammad Shahril Izhar Kamarudin died in hospital on Sunday, a week after he was diagnosed with the disease. -- PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER

MADAM Roslinda Mohamad Ali thought that her son had developed a fever from fretting over his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results.

He was later diagnosed with Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) but she never thought that he would die as she had seen the children of friends and relatives recover from the disease over the past two years.

But 12-year-old Muhammad Shahril Izhar Kamarudin died in hospital on Sunday, a week after he was diagnosed with the disease.

While it is not clear if the disease caused the boy's death, it will take several months for an autopsy to determine if he is the second person to die of the disease since 2001.

Singapore registered its first death from HFMD in August, since a severe outbreak from 2000 to 2001 which killed seven children. Most of the victims who died suffered from a severe form of HFMD caused by a virus called EV71.

The total number of HFMD cases is about 17,400 for the first 31 weeks of this year. Two preschools and four childcare centres were temporarily shut by the Health Ministry in April following outbreaks of HFMD.

Shahril first developed fever and red spots on his cheeks in the first week of November.

'I thought he might be having a fever because he was worried about getting back his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results,' said Madam Roslinda.

The former student of Jurong West Primary School appeared to recover after two visits to different general practitioners and he asked to be allowed to join his classmates on a two-day school trip to Malacca.

'His fever had subsided, so we relented and let him go on the trip,' recalled Madam Roslinda.

But after he got back, his fever returned and he developed rashes on his palms.

After he collected his PSLE results his condition worsened.

'His fever went as high as 40 degrees celsius. He had ulcers in his mouth and on his lips,' said the boy's stepfather Mohamed Afandi Ahwan, 38.

The boy also complained of difficulty in swallowing food, he added.

He was diagnosed as having HFMD and given paracetamol after a seeing a doctor at Jurong Polyclinic on Nov 23.

On Sunday morning, he fainted after being helped to the toilet by his mother.

Although he later regained consciousness and was no longer having a fever, his breathing became heavy.

While on the way to the hospital, he passed out in Mr Afandi's car and was revived by staff at the hospital.

Mr Afandi said they were told by doctors that Shahril was breathing but not on his own and his heartbeat was weak.

'That was when we realised the situation was very serious,' he said.

The boy died at 1.30pm on Sunday - which was also his birthday.

fatz

Lung cancer pill as effective as chemotherapy in managing disease
By Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 15 December 2008 1852 hrs

SINGAPORE: A new study shows that anti-cancer drug, Ireesa, may be an effective first-line treatment in managing terminal stage lung cancer in non-smokers.

Multiple cycles of chemotherapy are the standard treatment option for terminal lung cancer patients.

But a study in September has shown that Ireesa is just as effective as chemotherapy in containing the spread of the cancer cells, and has fewer side effects.

Doctors in Singapore prescribe Ireesa to terminal lung cancer patients as a second and third-line of treatment, but some doctors are finding it effective even as an initial form of treatment.

"Most patients do not lose any hair. Iressa doesn't cause much nausea or vomiting, and it doesn't (cause a) drop in the white cell count, thus it's a much better tolerated drug," said senior consultant medical oncologist at Parkway Cancer Centre, Dr Lim Hong Liang.

Ireesa is currently approved for second and third-line treatment in Singapore.

The drug company Astra Zeneca has declined to say when it will be submitting Ireesa to the Health Science Authority for approval as a first-line treatment.

- CNA/yt

fatz2

Jan 5, 2009
SLEEPLESS IN SINGAPORE
Teens not sleeping enough
Their growth and ability to learn will be affected, say sleep specialists
By Salma Khalik , HEALTH CORRESPONDENT


A demonstration in the Sleep Lab at KKH to show how patients are hooked up to machines to monitor their sleep patterns. -- PHOTO: TERENCE TAN

MORE than three-quarters of the teenagers here are compromising their health and performance in school by not getting enough sleep.

A study of students in six schools last year found that four in five of them were not getting the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep on school nights; half of those in the study were getting only five to six hours.

Dr Lim Li Ling, director of Singapore General Hospital's Sleep Disorder Unit, said: 'When children don't get enough sleep, the consequences are significant. It affects their learning and growth.'

She noted that many teens in sleep deficit are high-achievers who think sleep is an option they can do without.

'Some proudly let me know that they sleep only four hours a night. It's not something they should feel proud about. It affects their brain potential - how much they can learn and consolidate.'

Dr Lim, a neurologist by training before specialising in sleep problems, said a lack of sleep also dampens creativity, and may cause emotional problems or even stunt their growth in height.

Few teens who go through school with just six hours of sleep a night are happy children.

A study in the United States found that even top students do better with sufficient sleep: Tracking a group of students two years before and three years after school hours were changed to allow them more time in bed, the study found a significant improvement in their grades.

Even their levels of mischief fell.

Dr Lim said the majority of teenagers here do not get enough sleep because, on top of their school work, they spend time 'doing what teens like to do', such as chatting online.

Physically, they remain alert till late at night, which enables them to do this, even though they really need to hit the sack to get the rest their bodies need for another school day.

The heavy load of school and co-curricular activities also takes its toll on sleep.

Secondary 2 student Denise Tan, who wakes up at 5.50am is a typical teenager who is 'sometimes sleepy at school'.

But her schedule seems beyond her control: As a school swimmer, she trains thrice a week and does not get home till 6pm on those days.

Still, she gets to bed only between 10pm and 11pm, after homework and watching about an hour of television - and this teenager does not even play computer games or chat online on school days, unlike some of her classmates at St Joseph's Convent.

Most teenagers try to make up by sleeping in on weekends. Denise, for example, is in bed until almost noon on Saturdays. She has to be up by 8am on Sundays to go to church with her family.

Dr Lim said make-up sleep may work in the short term, but is not good for the body.

School commitments aside, some young ones do not get enough sleep because of medical problems.

Nur Natasha Abdul Rahman, nine, wakes up tired as she suffers from obstructive sleep apnoea. This causes her to wake up many times a night, preventing restful sleep. She either falls asleep in class or learns very little on the days she is awake. She failed her Primary 3 exams last year. Treated at KK Women's and Children's Hospital last year, she now gets a good night's sleep, and has been allowed by her school to attend Primary 4.

Sleep apnoea affects between 1 and 3 per cent of children here.

salma@sph.com.sg


mcmana la budak tu nak tido dgn wire2 berselirat mcm tu


[ Last edited by  fatz2 at 5-1-2009 06:14 PM ]

fatzcomel

Jan 10, 2009
Tang gets gunman's kidney?
By Jessica Jaganathan & Teh Joo Lin


Mr Tang was caught trying to buy a kidney

RETAIL magnate Tang Wee Sung, who was convicted of trying to buy a kidney in Singapore's first organ trading case last year, received a new organ at the National University Hospital.

The Straits Times believes that the kidney came from former triad leader Tan Chor Jin, who gunned down a nightclub owner in 2006. The gangster dubbed the 'One-Eyed Dragon' was hanged at Changi Prison yesterday morning.

His mistress confirmed that his organs were donated.

A check with hospitals found that only one other patient received a kidney from a dead donor yesterday, in an operation done at the Singapore General Hospital.

A spokesman for Mr Tang's family said his transplant was done in the morning and he was recuperating.

'He's up and conscious and he is in high spirits, even asking for magazines and books to read,' said the spokesman.

The 56-year-old had been unsuccessful in getting a kidney transplant overseas because of his other illnesses. He was caught trying to buy a kidney for transplant from an Indonesian here in June last year.

He was jailed for a day and fined $17,000 for the offence.

The debate that followed the case has prompted moves to change the law to allow people who donate their kidneys to get monetary compensation from the recipient or a voluntary organisation.

There are about 520 patients waiting for a kidney and every year 80 transplants are carried out.

Mr Tang, who suffers several medical problems including diabetes, asthma and heart problems, had earlier been taken off the waiting list for a kidney from a dead donor.

Last October, he underwent a successful triple heart bypass and was deemed well enough for a kidney transplant.

Hospitals are not allowed to reveal details of transplants, but The Straits Times understands Mr Tang's new kidney came from the killer executed yesterday.

Dubbed 'One-Eyed Dragon' because he was blind in the right eye, Tan, 42, was convicted in May 2007 of firing six rounds from a Beretta pistol at Mr Lim Hock Soon, 40.

He was captured in Malaysia, extradited to Singapore and convicted of discharging a firearm, an offence that carries the mandatory death penalty.

He failed in asking the President for clemency, his last hope of avoiding the gallows.

Tan's mistress told The Straits Times that he had made it known that he wished to donate his organs after his death.

Tan and his Malaysian wife had no children. His mistress, also a Malaysian, bore him a son and a daughter.

Additional reporting by Selina Lum

fatzcomel

Singapura : 16 Januari 2009         
         
DANA LAGI $35J UNTUK JAGA KESIHATAN MENTAL

DANA $35 juta akan diperuntukkan bagi memelihara kesihatan mental penduduk Singapura, setelah pemerintah menerima saranan Kumpulan Kerja Kesihatan Mental Negara (NMHWG).

Suntikan itu merupakan tambahan kepada dana $88 juta yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri, Encik Lee Hsien Loong, pada September 2007.

Dana tambahan itu akan digunakan bagi program pendidikan khusus bagi kanak-kanak, orang dewasa dan warga tua.

Ia juga akan menyokong usaha karyawan kesihatan dan pertubuhan-pertubuhan masyarakat mengenal pasti dan menjalankan inisiatif bagi mengekang masalah penyakit mental.

Saranan-saranan NMHWG yang diumumkan semalam memberi tumpuan kepada dua strategi - meningkatkan pendidikan awam mengenai cara-cara membasmi masalah mental dan menitikberatkan latihan bagi anggota masyarakat mengenal pasti masalah penyakit mental.

fatzcomel

That painful lump called hernia

While a hernia can occur throughout the body, eight in 10 are found in the groin area.

These groin hernias are known as inguinal hernias, and happen because of a weakness in the abdominal wall. At the start, only the inner lining of the abdomen pushes through the weakened area and slowly forms a small balloon-like sac.

Over time, it can get worse as more tissue or a loop of intestine pushes into the sac. When this happens, a bulge becomes visible.

Sufferers may notice a lump in the groin area when standing or straining that disappears when lying down. The common symptoms include feelings of weakness, pressure, as well as burning or pain in the abdomen, groin or scrotum. The pain may be more pronounced when one strains or coughs.

Unfortunately in most cases, a hernia will not go away on its own. If left untreated, tissue may become trapped outside the abdominal wall. If the blood supply to the trapped tissue is cut off, the hernia is strangulated and may require emergency surgery.

Tissue in a strangulated hernia swells, dies and quickly becomes infected, said Dr Kevin Sng, who is from the department of general surgery at Changi General Hospital.

Up to one in 20 men develop an inguinal hernia during their lifetimes, with the risk increasing as one ages. Risk factors include:

- Being overweight
- Frequently straining during bowel movements
- Repeatedly straining to lift heavy objects
- Having a chronic cough, such as a smoker's cough
- Persistent sneezing, such as that caused by allergies

The only way to cure a hernia, said Dr Sng, is by surgery. This includes open surgery and laparoscopic surgery (or keyhole surgery, where the repair is done through a small incision).

In the surgery, the contents in the hernia sac are returned to the abdominal cavity. The gap in the abdominal wall is repaired by inserting a mesh to seal the gap and strengthen the abdominal muscles.

Patients can usually be discharged the day after or even on the day of surgery, and most can return to normal daily activities within a week.

virgomal

New study illustrates best care for Asian diabetics on rice-based diet
By Cheryl Frois, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 January 2009 1818 hrs

  

SINGAPORE : A six-month study by a Shanghai university aims to illustrate the best care for Asian diabetic patients on a rice-based diet.

How can you better manage type 2 diabetes on a rice-based diet?

Most studies around the world involve patients on Western-based diets.

For the first time, one has been done involving 150 overweight Chinese diabetic patients.

Dr Kevin Tan, vice president, Diabetic Society of Singapore, said: "Granted that it is a small number of patients, it gives us good evidence that an integrated approach - not just the use of one medication or one formula - using holistic diabetes care, blood sugar monitoring, good advice, frequent reminding of the patients, a meal supplement, definitely helps a patient in terms of choice of food, as well as helps them to lose their weight. It is this integrated approach that has led to benefits to blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar and weight."

Besides these benefits, 22 per cent of patients on the programme managed to cut their drug doses.

Patients replaced breakfasts and supplemented some meals with nutritional supplements specifically tailored for diabetic patients.

Dr William Garvey, professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Alabama, said: "Meal replacements are a tool that patients and patients' doctors can use to add structure to the meal plan and improve patients' compliance and achieve the goals of therapy, which will often include some weight loss and the consumption of foods that produce less sugar rise after a meal."

More than half of diabetic patients in Singapore are unable to manage their blood glucose levels and blood pressure.

Doctors said these patients can consider diabetic meal supplements overseen by a trained dietician. - CNA/ms

fatzcomel

Insufficient protection from sun is major cause of skin cancer
By Hiroshi Limmell, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 February 2009 0022 hrs

Sunscreens

SINGAPORE : The National Cancer Centre said doctors in Singapore are seeing more cases of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the seventh most frequent cancer for men, and for women, it ranks eighth. The top cancer for men is colorectal and for women, it's breast cancer.

Inadequate protection against the sun is one major cause of skin cancer.

41-year-old Vincent Lam is a professional tennis and kite boarding instructor. And being under the sun often made his skin peel and red.

"Prior to kite boarding, we used to be wind surfing. I had a very close friend... and we used to do a lot of outdoor activities as well. She passed away from skin cancer," said Lam.

And that was a wake-up call for him.

But Lam said not many take protecting their skin seriously. So, he makes it a point to remind his charges.

"We get kids from 4 years old onwards. We play tennis at about 12 in the afternoon. The sun gets pretty hot. Even with hats and sunglasses, it doesn't really help that much, so I would advise them to put sunblock as well," said Lam.

And there are many to choose from.

Experts advise outdoor sports enthusiasts to choose a sunscreen that provides a broad spectrum protection - that means a sunscreen that blocks both ultra-violet 'A' (UVA) and ultra-violet 'B' (UVB) rays.

"Particularly important in Asian communities are skin lightness, and fairness is really important. The UVA gives a lot of pigmenting effect on the skin and unless you provide the protection against both the UVB and the UVA part of the spectrum, the skin can get dark with even in small sunlight exposure," advised Dr Curtis Cole, a photobiologist.

Besides using sunscreen, doctors said wearing protective clothing when outdoors can also reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. -CNA /ls

fatzcomel

Singapura : 6 Februari 2009         


TIDAK MAHAL HAMIL MENERUSI IVF

Oleh
Nurulhuda S M Albukhari

SETELAH lima tahun mendirikan rumah tangga dan menunggu, harapan Cik Syahan Syahana menjadi ibu hampir menjadi kenyataan setelah beliau hamil melalui rawatan kaedah kesuburan permanian beradas, atau In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Lebih menggembirakan, Cik Syahan, 34 tahun, dan suamninya, Encik Amran Adnan, seorang pengurus jualan berusia 36 tahun, ialah mereka tidak perlu mengeluarkan wang tunai yang banyak bagi menjalani rawatan tersebut.

Ini kerana beliau layak menikmati subsidi rawatan teknologi bantuan penghamilan (ART) sehingga 50 peratus yang pemerintah perkenalkan bagi membantu pasangan seperti mereka mulai Ogos tahun lalu.

Setiap rawatan IVF menelan belanja antara $7,000 dengan $14,000.

Bagi Cik Syahan dan suaminya, mereka telah membayar $6,000 menerusi Medisave dan menerima subsidi $3,000 daripada skim subsidi ART.

'Saya hanya kena bayar tunai lebih $20. Saya amat berterima kasih kerana adanya skim subsidi itu,' kata beliau.

Cik Syahan, seorang pengurus khidmat pelanggan, melahirkan rasa lega kerana secara kebetulan skim subsidi ART itu diperkenalkan ketika beliau dan suaminya membuat keputusan untuk mencuba rawatan IVF.

Mereka pernah menimbangkan rawatan IVF dua tahun lalu tetapi menangguhkannya kerana kos rawatan yang terlalu tinggi.

'Saya bersyukur kerana keputusan menangguhkan rawatan IVF terbukti berbaloi,' tambahnya.

Meskipun kehamilan Cik Syahan merupakan berita baik buat beliau dan suaminya, banyak cabaran yang perlu dilalui.

Selama sebulan sebelum rawatan itu, beliau harus menyuntik dirinya dengan ubat hormon setiap hari bagi meningkatkan kadar hormon tubuh beliau bagi menghasilkan telur-telur yang sihat.

Cik Syahan tabah melakukan suntikan sendiri walaupun sebelum itu beliau berasa ngeri.

Ketabahan dan kesabaran Cik Syahan dan suaminya akhirnya membuahkan hasil.

Kini Cik Syahan sudah hamil tiga bulan dan dijangka melahirkan anak sulungnya Ogos ini.

Cik Syahan menggalakkan pasangan suami isteri yang menghadapi masalah kesuburan supaya tampil memanfaatkan skim subsidi rawatan ART bagi menjalani rawatan IVF.

[ Last edited by  fatzcomel at 6-2-2009 08:26 AM ]

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Singapura : 10 Februari 2009        
  
DEMAM DENGGI BERKURANGAN TAHUN LALU HASIL USAHA CEGAH PEMBIAKAN NYAMUK

KES demam denggi berkurangan sebanyak 20 peratus tahun lalu berbanding 2007.

Menurut Agensi Sekitaran Kebangsaan (NEA), sebanyak 7,000 kes denggi dilaporkan tahun lalu, berbanding 8,800 pada 2007.

Setiausaha Parlimen Kanan (Kementerian Sekitaran dan Sumber Air), Dr Amy Khor, berkata keadaan lebih baik boleh dikatakan hasil usaha kolektif mencegah pembiakan nyamuk.

Salah satu cabaran sekarang ialah mengurangkan jumlah nyamuk tahun ini, tambah beliau.

Dr Khor berkata NEA akan teruskan pendekatan bersepadunya untuk mengawal denggi melalui pemantauan nyamuk dan virus aktif, pendidikan awam, kajian dan penguatkuasaan.

'Kita akan terus menjalankan usaha mengurangkan sumber-sumber pembiakan nyamuk menjelang musim yang lebih tinggi pembiakannya, seperti Jun hingga Oktober.

'Pengurangan sumber pembiakan telah dinilai Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) sebagai langkah paling efektif bagi mengawal pembiakan nyamuk. Namun ia menggunakan banyak tenaga buruh,' kata Dr Khor.

Dalam hal ini, NEA telah menambah jumlah tenaga kerjanya sebanyak 500 kakitangan sejak 2007.

Dr Khor berkata NEA akan terus menggunakan pendekatan penilaian risiko dan menumpukan tenaga kakitangannya di kawasan-kawasan yang lebih terdedah kepada pembiakan nyamuk agar dapat menghindari dari tercetusnya kelompok-kelompok denggi.

'NEA akan juga terus meningkatkan pengetahuan dan keupayaan kita melalui kajian yang dibuat di Institut Kesihatan Sekitaran, tempat alat-alat baru dibangunkan dan dinilai,' kata Dr Khor.

Beliau menekankan bahwa terdapat keperluan untuk meningkatkan kesedaran rakyat Singapura tentang mengurangkan demam denggi dan demam chikungunya.

'Pendidikan awam adalah kunci utama kami dalam usaha-usaha pencegahan denggi. Hasilnya menggalakan.

'Satu tinjauan NEA untuk menilai kesedaran awam mengenai isu-isu sekitaran menunjukkan bahawa tahap kesedaran bagi pencegahan denggi tinggi, dengan ramai responden mengamalkan cara-cara baik seperti kerap menukar air pasu bunga,' ujar Dr Khor.

Mengenai demam chikungunya, Dr Khor berkata 718 kes dilaporkan tahun lalu, dengan 75 peratus daripadanya dijangkiti di sini.

Pada bulan lalu pula, terdapat 159 kes, berbanding 13 dalam tempoh yang sama tahun lalu.

NEA menjangkakan jangkitan chikungunya di sini terkawal tahun ini.

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Number of Muslim patients who received organ transplants doubles
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 February 2009 1600 hrs


Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan

SINGAPORE: The number of Muslim patients who received organ transplants doubled to 38 in the span of just five months since the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) was amended to cover the community.

Before the amendment took place last year, the number was just 19 for the whole of 2007.

Similarly, in terms of the percentage of all patients receiving transplants, Muslim recipients have increased their proportion from 11 per cent in the past to 19 per cent last year.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed in Parliament that over the past five months, four Muslim cadaveric donors have saved the lives of 15 organ recipients.

Measures have also been put in place to take care of the cultural and religious sensitivities of Muslims.

For example, hospitals are sensitive to the need of relatives to take the bodies of their loved ones as soon as possible for religious rites. Adequate washing facilities in hospitals and a second sitting for coroner's cases are also now available to reduce any possible delays.

But Mr Khaw also noted that the number of Muslim patients struck with kidney disease continues to rise. More than 100 Muslim patients are currently waiting for a new kidney.

Mr Khaw said: "Certainly the complications are quite preventable. HOTA cannot be the full answer, so prevention is the key. That means changing lifestyle for those on the wrong side of the healthcare divide."

- CNA/yt

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Hard truth behind S'pore men's performance in bed

By Ng Wan Ching

HEARD the joke that a good man is hard to find but a hard man is good to find?

Well, six in 10 Singapore women in a recent sex survey share the latter problem with the latter. They were not satisfied with their partners' erections.

In the findings of the Asia Pacific Sexual Health and Overall Wellness survey, men generally rated themselves as more satisfied with their erections than women were.

Of the 117 men polled in Singapore, slightly more than half (52 per cent) said they do have optimal erection hardness. But 62 per cent of the 107 more Singapore women polled were unsatisfied with their men's hardness.

This difference between men and women was also reflected in the findings of the other 12 countries involved in the survey.

Said Professor Peter Lim, senior consultant urologist and president of the Society for Men's Health Singapore: 'An example is the wife who brings her husband to be checked out.

'She tells me her husband is not functioning properly. But the husband will, in front of her, tell me there's nothing wrong with him. That's the level of the male ego.'

The findings also show that men with less-than-hard erections are less satisfied with their sexual experience. They are less positive about life than their counterparts with optimal erection hardness.

Of the one in two men here with sub-optimal erections, some are due to erectile dysfunction (ED), but increasingly younger men are also afflicted due to stress and depression.

Said Prof Lim: 'Every man with ED can be helped. The ways to help range from a pill like Viagra to penile implants and injections.'

Men and women satisfied with the erection hardness also experienced greater satisfaction in all aspects of the sexual experience.

These include orgasm intensity, physical foreplay, intercourse itself and feelings of attraction to the sexual partner.

The survey found that men and women who are satisfied with sex enjoy greater levels of satisfaction in other aspects of life - love and romance, overall health and family life.

Prof Lim said: 'If a couple are not satisfied with their sex life, they may break up.

'It is important to remember that sub-optimal erection hardness affects both men and their partners, and effective treatments to improve erection hardness can enhance other aspects of a relationship.'

He feels that women here, in particular, should be encouraged to speak to their doctors about sexual health issues, including sub-optimal erections.

Australian sexual health physician Dr Rosie King, who was here to present the survey results, said: 'The penis is like an early warning sign of something that is not quite right. It could be diabetes, metabolic syndrome which includes being obese, having high blood pressure or even cardiac disease.

'So if you are having problems with your erections, you should go and see a doctor and get yourself checked out.'

Survey

More than 2,000 men and 1,900 women, aged 25 to 74, from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and New Zealand were polled.

The most satisfied men came from India, at 73 per cent, followed by 54 per cent of Filipinos. Those from South Korea (19 per cent) and Japan (10 per cent) rank lowest.

Indian women (65 per cent) and women from the Philippines and New Zealand (46 per cent each) are more satisfied with sex than women from South Korea (11 per cent) and Japan (4 per cent).

Singapore men were the eighth most satisfied with sex. There was no similar ranking for women.

The survey, conducted over three months last year, was sponsored by a grant from Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals, which makes Viagra.

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This story was first published in The New Paper.

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A made-in-Singapore revolution in the medical field
By Neo Chai Chin, TODAY | Posted: 25 February 2009 0652 hrs



SINGAPORE: One is a British hypertension expert behind a groundbreaking study. The other is a Singapore general practitioner with an inventive streak.

Three years ago, fate brought them together at an Innovators Forum held here — and set them on a course to which could soon revolutionise the century-old method of reading blood pressure at doctors' clinics all over the world.

It began with Dr Ting Choon Meng's curiosity over why some of his hypertension patients fared better than others. He invented a watch-like device that monitored their blood pressure over 24 hours, giving more accurate readings than the common method of strapping on an arm cuff for a mere few minutes.

Oceans away, Professor Bryan Williams of the University of Leicester's School of Medicine showed, in a 2005 landmark study, that blood pressure near the heart – instead of that at the arm – could better predict stroke and heart attacks.

When they got together, they found that the readings taking by Dr Ting's B Pro monitor, when used with a mathematical formula software he developed, accurately captured the blood pressure at the root of the artery transporting blood from the heart, or central aortic systolic pressure (CASP).

For doctors, this means they can more correctly assess the impact of their hypertension treatments on their patients. And what's helpful for patients is the pulse waveform charts generated show clearly what effect a change in lifestyle choices, such as smoking or exercise, has on their blood pressure.

Both Dr Ting's inventions are making their mark – it is cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), there are plans to venture into Japan and South Korea this year, and in Singapore, doctors and institutions like the Singapore General Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital are using them on a small scale.

But more significantly, major pharmaceutical companies like Novartis are tapping his inventions to carry clinical drug trials – and the big payoff, in terms of the exposure the B Pro would receive, could come when the results are published in "hopefully six months to a year", said Dr Ting.

The inventions are expected to generate $12 to $20 million in revenue this year for his eight-year-old company, HealthStats International.

That's a long way to come for a product that, Dr Ting told Time magazine in 2007, had initially failed to win funding from the Economic Development Board – he ended selling three of his four medical clinics.

Yesterday, at the official launch of the A-Pulse CASP Software, Senior Minister of State (Trade and Industry) S Iswaran had high hopes for the "revolutionary changes" these made-in-Singapore innovations could make to how blood pressure is monitored and managed worldwide.

It was heartening to see Singapore starting to reap the fruit of significant investments in the biomedical sector, he added.

But would the price of Dr Ting's inventions – which cost about $6,000 per set – deter greater take-up by GPs here? The traditional cuff-based blood pressure monitors cost about $150 to $300.

Dr Ng Siau Peng of Frontier Healthcare, who has been using the B Pro since 2006, thinks it is mainly a lack of awareness. "Doctors are not familiar with the device, and they're not taught to use it, so they may be taken aback," he said. "Cost won't be such a barrier if the GPs find it useful."

The B Pro and the software, however, are a steal compared to similar devices that generate pulse waveforms – which cost $20,000 to $60,000.

Meanwhile, bigger dreams are ahead for Dr Ting – a home blood pressure monitor that displays one's CASP is awaiting approval from the US FDA. He hopes to launch it here later this year.


- TODAY/so

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KINI TERDAPAT 1,000 KES POLIO SETAHUN

PENYAKIT polio atau 'poliomyelitis' ialah penyakit yang melumpuhkan yang biasanya menyerang kanak-kanak di bawah usia 15 tahun.

Ia berpunca daripada jangkitan virus berbahaya yang merebak melalui najis atau laluan mulut.

Kesan jangkitan ini terlihat hanya setelah virus itu memasuki saluran darah.

Sekitar 1 peratus kes polio melibatkan virus yang memasuki sistem saraf tunjang hingga memusnahkan saraf-saraf pergerakan atau 'motor neurons' dan menyebabkan otot-otot pesakit lemah dan pesakit kemudian menjadi lumpuh.

Beberapa jenis lumpuh boleh terjadi, dan yang paling biasa ialah polio tulang tunjang yang menjejas kaki dan tangan.

'Poliomyelitis' mula dikenali oleh Jakob Heine pada tahun 1840, sementara virus yang menyebabkannya, 'poliovirus', dikenal pasti oleh Karl Landsteiner pada 1908.

Awal abad ke-20 adalah tempoh apabila penyakit polio merupakan penyakit kanak-kanak yang paling ditakuti. Wabak polio telah mencacatkan ribuan kanak-kanak dan melumpuhkan serta mematikan ribuan yang lain.

Namun, selepas tahun 1952 apabila vaksin untuk mencegah polio dihasilkan oleh Jonas Salk dan kemudian pada 1962 oleh Albert Sabin, kes penyakit polio dapat dikurangkan daripada beberapa ratus ribu kepada 1,000 setahun dalam tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini.

Vaksin lebih berkesan yang diusahakan oleh Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO), Tabung Bantuan Darurat Kanak-Kanak Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (Unicef) dan Rotary International telah dapat menghapuskan penyakit itu di sebahagian besar negara-negara di dunia hingga ke hari ini.

Namun, enam buah negara masih mempunyai virus polio yang tersebar di sekitarannya iaitu Afghanistan, Mesir, India, Niger, Nigeria dan Pakistan.

Tiada ubat dapat memulihkan polio sejauh ini dan ia hanya boleh dicegah dengan suntikan atau pil vaksin yang diberikan beberapa kali.

Di Singapura, wabak polio terbesar berlaku pada 1958 apabila sehingga 30 pesakit dimasukkan ke hospital setiap hari.

Namun, sejak 1978, tiada kes polio dilaporkan di Singapura, lantas menjadikan Singapura salah sebuah negara yang diiktiraf bebas polio.

Bagaimanapun, rakyat Singapura yang tidak mendapatkan vaksin untuk mencegah polio boleh dijangkiti virus itu di luar negara dan menyebarkannya di sini.