Birth Control Awareness in Malaysia
Did you read about the tragic story of a newborn baby boy who was found dead with a stab wound by a 15-year-old mother on 8 February this year? Has it made you feel heart-wrenching or raged? According to the statistics from The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), at least 10 babies were dumped within a […]
Hepatitis B Remains a Public Health Concern
Introduction to Hepatitis Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver that can be caused by viruses (most common), heavy alcohol use, drugs, toxins, as well as certain medical conditions such as autoimmune disease. There are five types of viral hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E. Like many other countries in the region, viral hepatitis […]
Let (People Living with) HIV be Heard!
Malaysia has been battling the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic since the 80s. Fortunately, there has been progress over the last two decades with new HIV infections falling by two-thirds from a peak of 6,978 cases in 2002. However, new data on HIV/AIDS is on the rise again in 2022. A major shift in epidemiology […]
Ovarian Cancer And Genetic Testing
Not long ago, we lost our star—Adibah Noor, a warrior who lost her battle with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is a silent killer; it was a myth. In fact, clinicians and primary-care providers are able to recognize the early signs of ovarian cancer, instead of “blowing it off” as gastrointestinal problems.1 However, the majority of […]
All You Need to Know About HFMD
The cases of Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Malaysia have been rising since the beginning of 2022 and have exceeded the warning level. Preschools and kindergartens are closing one by one to curb the spread of this disease. Statistics An upward trend of 20-fold is shown from 2021 up till May 25th 2022. […]
Lupus: Discovery of New Gene Variant
Our immune system is the protective mother of the cells that stop bad or unhealthy cells from attacking our cells. But, when a person develops an autoimmune disorder, the immune system recognizes normal healthy cells as bad cells and starts attacking them. A common autoimmune disorder is Lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder whereby the […]
4 Traits To Thank Our Mothers This Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is around the corner. What other way to celebrate than to acknowledge the amazing traits that are passed to us? Mothers spent most of our childhood nurturing and educating us about life, and building these traits in us even before our birth. These are the four traits that we inherited from our mothers. […]
eDNA: Leave some, Gain many
What exactly is eDNA? Every living thing leaves traces of their genetic make-up in the environment wherever they go. It can be in the form of a strand of hair, a piece of dead skin, nail clippings, fecal droppings, and many more. The “shedding” left within the environment is termed environmental DNA (eDNA). These DNAs […]
Do Balding Genes Exist?
The ordeal in the latest Oscars 2022 has struck conversations on hair loss and balding. Has this topic ever occurred to you that it may be due to genetics? It’s quite common to relate balding with males but, this condition typically affects anyone regardless of gender. Genetics do play a huge role in determining the […]
Grab Yourself A Date Tonight!
In the holy month of Ramadan, most Muslims practice the sunnah of having sweet titbits before indulging in their main meal3. Dates are fruits that originated from the Middle East and are usually seen to be the “appetizers” to break fast. But why were dates chosen specifically? “When one of you breaks his fast, let […]