Last Sunday, the Malaysian Occupational Therapy Association (MOTA), in collaboration with PUScOT, organised a World OT Day celebration at the MAEPS Complex, right by the university campus. The event was officiated by Prof. Nathan Vytialingam, Dean of PUScOT, and attended by MOTA President Dr. Mohd Zulkifli Abdul Rahim, faculty members, NGO representatives, and members of the public.

The President of MOTA, Dr Zulkifli Rahim (second from left) with Dean of PUScOT, Prof. Nathan Vytialingam (third from left) and faculty members from UKM.

The main event was the OT Run 3.0 which saw runners take on the 5km and the 7km running tracks in the MAEPS Complex.

Runners getting ready.

And off we go!

Visitors also took advantage of the free consultation and educational sessions conducted by expert occupational therapists on diabetes care management, stroke care and prevention, hand rehabilitation, and children with special needs.

Part of the organising committee.

NGOs the Malaysia Healthy Ageing Society (MHAS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy Malaysia also opened exhibition booths. PUScOT faculty members are well-represented in the MHAS Committee, whereas SMA Malaysia was founded by Perdana University PhD student Ms Siti Safura Jaapar.

Ms Siti Safura at the SMA Malaysia booth.

No event is complete without the group photo!

PUScOT students taking a picture at their booth

PUScOT students arriving at 6.30am to help with the event.

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Prof. Dr. Mohamed Rusli Abdullah, Lead in Epidemiology and Public Health in PU-RCSI, was recently elected as a Fellow of the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The award entitles him to use the letters FFSEM after his name. The conferment is indeed a proud moment for the University and our nation, as Prof Rusli is the only Malaysian receiving the fellowship for this session. 

This is the third fellowship received by Prof Rusli. Congratulations!

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The International Symposium on Bioinformatics (InSyb 2018) went off to a great start today at Perdana University. Jointly organised by MyBioInfoNet and Perdana University, with support from APBioNet, the symposium aims to spread awareness and development of bioinformatics in the Asia Pacific region.

Close to 100 participants from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and India are attending the symposium. It was officiated today by the President of APBioNet, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohammad Asif Khan.

Professor N. Srinivasan from the Indian Institute of Science delivered the keynote speech on multi-domain proteins, a study that will advance breakthroughs in treatments for diseases such as cancer.

The symposium also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between APBioNet and MyBioInfoNet. The latter was launched recently to “serve as a networking platform for Malaysians or non-Malaysians, within or outside Malaysia, with interest in growing bioinformatics in the country”.

InSyB2018 will be ongoing until tomorrow, 21st Dec. For more info on MyBioInfoNet and the Symposium, visit their website.

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This article was contributed by Dr Wana Hla Shwe and published in the Health with Perdana column in The Star’s Fit for Life on Dec 16th, 2018.

It was a busy Thursday and I had just finished my classes. Before heading home, I sat in the office to check my emails.

Suddenly, one of the staff came in a hurry, panic evident across her face. “Dr Wana, please come! Come and see Prof A!”

“What happened?” I ask her.

“He is feeling dizzy. I think he needs medical attention,” she said urgently.

Prof A was sitting down when I saw him. Upon checking his stats, I saw that his blood pressure was elevated to 198/100 mmHg.

Alarmed, I ask him to take deep breaths and try to relax. I found out that he had reduced the dose of his blood pressure medication several weeks ago.

He was later taken to the hospital where luckily, the medical officer cleared him to drive home as his blood pressure had normalised.

Prof A’s situation is unfortunately quite common.

Because high blood pressure doesn’t usually cause any symptoms until it has reached dangerous levels, many patients simply stop or reduce their medication when they think they feel better.

In fact, when you have high blood pressure, the most important thing you can do is to continue taking your medication as directed.

If it causes side effects, discuss with your doctor to iron out the issues. There may well be alternatives that will be compatible with you.

No symptoms doesn’t mean no risk

High blood pressure is a common condition, yet many of us may not even know that we have it as there are no symptoms.

Dizziness, such as that experienced by Prof A, shortness of breath and nosebleed, may not occur until your blood pressure has reached a dangerous level.

Other signs include blurry or other vision changes, nausea, confusion, seizures, bloody or brown urine, and chest pain.

If you find yourself in a blood pressure emergency, stop any strenuous activities and remove yourself from the environment that is causing you stress.

You should also seek medical attention as soon as possible. In some cases, a blood pressure emergency can be life-threatening, causing internal bleeding, brain swelling or stroke.

Having high blood pressure leads to a number of health problems, including heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

Because there are usually no signs or symptoms, the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to use a monitor, or blood pressure meter.

Readings are routinely taken during doctor visits.

What can I do to lower my blood pressure?

Aside from taking your medications as instructed, there are simple lifestyle changes that can help.

You can control your blood pressure by:

• Losing weight (if you are overweight).
• Choosing a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
• Reducing the amount of salt you eat.
• Doing something active for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.
• Cutting down on alcohol (if you drink more than two alcoholic drinks per day).
• Getting a home blood pressure meter. People who check their own blood pressure at home do better at keeping it low and can sometimes even reduce the amount of medicine they take.

Which medicines might I need? 

There are lots of different medicines to treat high blood pressure. But some of the medicines have other health benefits besides lowering blood pressure.

Your doctor will decide which medicine is best for you depending on the following factors:

• How high your blood pressure is.
• Your other health problems, if you have any.
• How well you do on the medicines you try.

Dr Wana Hla Shwe is an associate professor at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. This article is courtesy of Perdana University. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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Perdana University is proud to be the recipient for The BrandLaureate Brand Leadership Award 2018 for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). According to the BrandLaureate, the award honours “corporations, NGOs, societies, institutions, individuals that go out of their way to give back to the world in ways they see fit and deem necessary”. Other recipients include Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute), Public Bank Berhad, and The Miss Universe Malaysia Organization. To be given the same honour as these inspiring institutions was indeed an amazing privilege.

Perdana University has been investing for the community through the availability of partial scholarships to deserving students ranging from RM10-15m annually, provided generously by the holding company AMC Sdn Bhd. This Public Private Partnership initiative has resulted in significant savings in the cost of education, whereby it is only a third of the cost for a similar degree in Dublin. This allows for more students to be trained locally, keeping the best talents within the shores of Malaysia.  Another contribution to the community is via the MMA Foundation, whereby Perdana University had donated RM500,000 to support the activities of the fund benefitting the target communities.

Perdana University students have been very active in community work. Early in January 2018, they co-organised a Health and Cancer Screening Camp in Bentong working alongside clinicians, government officials, and health advocates from the Bentong District Health Office, MMA Foundation and MAKNA to provide access to medical check-ups, medicines, and referrals to specialists. More than 600 residents were given a free health screening.

In addition, Perdana University held health awareness campaigns in response to the rising prevalence of mental health issues among the youths. Light of Love Run combined mental health education with a fun run to appeal to the youths – who are now highly at risk for mental health issues. The Guard Your Heart in Shape provided healthcare education and included a blood donation drive to educate the public on non-communicable diseases.

Further, students also organised Teddy Bear Hospital with coaching from the IMAM Children and Teens Super Team (IMACATS) to reduce white coat syndrome among children. They also partnered with Street Feeders to distribute food to the homeless and lend an ear to listen to their stories, thereby encouraging the underprivileged to get back on their feet and re-integrate into the society.

The spirit of giving is even stronger when it is for one of our own. A PhD student who is affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a genetic disease causing the degeneration of one’s muscles, took the initiative to establish SMA Malaysia as a patient advocacy and support group. At the launch, Perdana University received a pledge of RM50,000 to fund the research towards finding a cure for the disease.

Perdana University is proud to provide a platform for our students and staff to become global citizens, sensitive to the needs of the community and quick to respond towards a common goal. Our academic programmes instil the values of social responsibility. We aim to produce doctors and therapists for whom the answer to “What matters to you?” is as important as, “What’s the matter with you?”

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Contributed by Ashvirni Gilbeth (PU-RCSI).

In conjunction with World Aids Day, the Infectious Disease Team from Hospital Sungai Buloh presented us with an opportunity to show solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV worldwide by having a campaign in Sunway Velocity Mall, Cheras. Seven students from Perdana University volunteered for the event and that was made possible by Dr Sujana Muttu who is a medical doctor in Hospital Sungai Buloh and also part of our medical faculty. There were free health screenings, wheel of fortune, Henna & Face painting, a photobooth and also a human ribbon. The main purpose of this project was to create awareness regarding HIV disease, means of transmission of the disease and also risk factors of contracting HIV.

We reached out to the public by giving out pamphlets and bookmarks to instill knowledge about HIV. A mascot was parading around us attracting children while we interacted with their parents. Tiny red ribbons were given as mementos to be pinned as it is an internationally recognized symbol for AIDS consciousness and as a sign of remembrance for those who have lost their fight.

In retrospect, the campaign taught me many things. It was the first time that I had participated in an event of such magnitude and I gained a lot of experience and knowledge. I realized that public health is vital and it is a never-ending struggle to combat diseases that have plagued our society. The realization that we need to put a stop to this mentality should be cultivated immediately. We should get off our high horses and lend a sympathetic ear as a preliminary strategy to reduce the plight of victims. We may lunge forward in terms of economic and technological growth but stigma and bigotry remain the most potent barrier to testing, treatment and prevention of HIV and that perception alone could set the clock back to an archaic time.

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The article below appeared in the Jan 6 issue of Health with Perdana, a regular column in The Star by Perdana University expert faculty members. This week’s article is contributed by Dr. Deepthi Shridhar P, a Lecturer in Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. 

Antimicrobials are medicines that inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites, and cause their death.

Over the years, due to overuse/misuse of antimicrobials, these microorganisms have mutated into “superbugs” that have the ability to resist antimicrobial treatment.

As a result, infections continue to persist, resulting in prolonged illness and the increased risk of death, as well as increasing the risk of spreading the bugs to other people.

Small organisms, big problems

Antimicrobials have revolutionised and transformed medicine, saving millions of lives.

But over the last two decades, antibiotics usage has increased for both medical and non-medical applications, leading to the development of antibiotic resistance.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Antimicrobial Surveillance System (GLASS) reveals that nearly 700,000 people around the world die each year because of drug resistance.

It also predicts that the figure could rise to one million deaths annually with an exponential increase in medical costs of over RM400 trillion.

Although this is global data, Malaysia is no different from the rest of the world.

Even when correctly prescribed, patients often do not finish the full course of their medicine, which contributes to antibiotic resistance.

Dr. Deepthi

Causes of the crisis

• Overuse/misuse of antimicrobials

Way back in 1945, Sir Alexander Fleming, in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, had remarked that when the public demands these drugs, there will begin an era of abuse.

As predicted, due to the lack of regulations in many countries, these medicines are sold over the counter without prescription.

Antibiotics are also frequently prescribed improperly in terms of indication, choice, dose and duration of treatment.

Even when correctly prescribed, patients often do not finish the full course of their medicine, which contributes to antibiotic resistance.

On the flip side of the coin, unnecessary usage can also lead to harmful side effects.

• Widespread agricultural use

The majority of antibiotics are actually used as growth supplements in healthy animals, or as a preventative measure for animals living in crowded or unsanitary conditions.

When humans ingest such animals, resistant microorganisms can get transmitted to them and cause severe infections.

• New antibiotics

Due to financial and regulatory constraints, the development of new antibiotic drugs has almost come to a standstill.

Pharmaceutical companies do not find these investments to be profitable as these drugs are meant to be taken only for a short time, and are generally curative.

The problem is that the pace of new drug discovery simply cannot match the pace of growing resistance.

If existing antibiotics are not used judiciously, even the commonest infections may become difficult to treat.

Diffusing the time bomb

Antibiotic resistance is rising to precariously high levels, and without urgent action, the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era.

Most of the causes responsible for this crisis can be tackled wisely.

One of the key strategies to prevent antibiotic resistance is by preventing infections of these antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.

This can be achieved by making drastic changes to the prescribing practices of antibiotics by doctors and their usage by patients.

How can you as a patient contribute?

• Never demand antibiotics. Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a health professional and always follow their advice. Be sure to ask questions if anything is unclear.
• Always finish the full course of your prescribed antibiotics; never stop taking them halfway through the course, even when you feel better.
• Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
• Take good care of your personal health and hygiene.
• Wash hands regularly, practice hygienic food preparation, avoid close contact with sick people and ensure your vaccinations are up to date.
• Go for meats and fishes that have been produced without the use of antibiotics

Fighting the resistance

Antibiotic awareness week has been held every November since 2015.

This global initiative focuses on spreading awareness about antibiotic resistance, recommending guidelines for optimising antibiotic usage, and strengthening surveillance and research in countering antimicrobial resistance.

During the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015, all member states were guided to set up national antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems that can yield reliable data.

In accordance to this, the Health Ministry and the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry initiated the Malaysian Action Plan to combat antimicrobial resistance (MyAP-AMR).

This plan includes comprehensive educational and awareness programmes to educate both the public and professionals.

However, surveillance is still in its infancy, hence commitment and complementary efforts from all related sectors including veterinarians, farmers, fishery officers, health professionals and all related stakeholders, are required to tackle one of the biggest threats to global public health.

As responsible individuals, it is our duty to safeguard the world with our coordinated efforts against antibiotic resistance.

Otherwise, we will find our so-called “high-tech world” reverting back to the pre-antibiotic era in the not-too-distant future.

Dr Deepthi Shridhar P. is a lecturer in pharmacology at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. This article is courtesy of Perdana University. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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This article is written by Dr. Esslin Terrighena, a Research Associate at PU-CPM. Visit her website Mind Balance to subscribe to her articles.

Outside of the mental health world, psychologists and psychiatrists may be seen as the same thing – professionals to reach out to when we are going through mental health challenges. However, there is one very fundamental difference between these two occupations:

Psychologists are trained in analysing and understanding human behaviour. They look for dysfunctional patterns in thoughts, emotions and behaviour and address these in psychotherapy from a perspective of behavioural change.

In contrast, psychiatrists are qualified medical doctors who have specialised in psychiatry. While they can also be trained in psychotherapy, their medical training tends to promote diagnosis, management and treatment of mental illness from a medical perspective. This means they can prescribe medication for mental health conditions, tackling these at a neurochemical and physiological level.

This key distinction nicely gives rise to some regular back-and-forth bickering between us as psychologists and our valued psychiatric colleagues – we claim psychiatrists are too fast to drug people, psychiatrists roll their eyes at the notion that ‘talking’ solving all problems. In reality, we do best working together in the best interest of our clients: Psychologists providing psychotherapy and psychiatrists providing medication.

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The article below appeared in the Jan 20 issue of Health with Perdana, a regular column in The Star by Perdana University expert faculty members. This week’s article is contributed by Prof. Amal Rashad Nimir, Lecturer of Microbiology at the Perdana University – Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Medicine. 

Let’s imagine living in the 14th century for a minute. You wake up in a flea-ridden bed after a restless night of sleep, interrupted by the rooster (the alarm clock before there were clocks).

You put on the cleanest clothes you have, the ones you washed a month ago, and head out to work. On the way out, you see your little daughter slumped on the table. She has been running a high fever for some time and frequently mentions feeling cold.

You’ve brushed off her complaints before because everyone is sick, but today, something is different. Today you notice her toes and fingers are starting to turn black. The shadow of the Black Death is already in your house!

The bubonic plague, also referred to as the Black Death, is a disease few in the modern age have experienced, yet it is infamous for the number of people it killed in the 14th century. While the exact number is impossible to identify, researchers have said that 50 million deaths would be a safe estimate.

The Black Death was responsible for wiping out at least a quarter of the population in Europe, with equally damaging effects in Africa and Asia. Can you imagine such a disease?

It is not the only such killer – diphtheria, measles, meningitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases are equally dangerous.

If those words are unfamiliar to you, this means that your vaccines have already worked.

Natural versus acquired

Some people might wonder whether natural immunity – acquired by getting the infection, which our immune system develops defences against – is more potent and less harmful than the ones given as vaccines.

The answer is that most of the time, natural immunity is more potent than vaccination, but you might pay a larger price. For example, mumps can cause deafness, and infection with influenza bacteria might cause permanent brain damage, or might even be fatal.

Unfortunately, misinformation and fear can cause suffering when it could have been avoided.

Does not cause autism

Let’s address some of that misinformation.

Firstly, the premise of the anti-vaccination argument contends that vaccines are dangerous because they are unnatural or contain harmful ingredients.

A notable example is thimerosal (a preservative) that has been erroneously blamed for causing autism in children. A research paper published in 1998 claimed to show a correlation between measles and autism, putting parents in a dilemma about whether they should administer vaccines to their children.

However, that paper has since been widely disproven. It was subsequently retracted by the publishers due to the false claims and unethical actions of the author.

Sadly, sensationalised headlines had already done the damage and created vaccine skeptics who continue to spread fear until today.

Not haram!

Secondly, some Muslim parents worry that taking vaccines is haram or discouraged in Islam.

As the most common reason mentioned for avoiding vaccines is religion, particularly in some states like Perak, we want to further emphasise that vaccines are halal. The National Fatwa Council has decided that taking vaccines is harus (permissible) in Islam as a method to prevent illness and suffering to individuals and communities.

Children who aren’t vaccinated can spread diseases to other children who are too young to be vaccinated or to people with weakened immune systems, such as transplant recipients and cancer patients. This could result in long-term complications, and even death, for these vulnerable people.

It is haram to be the cause of another’s death or sufferings by being (intentionally or unintentionally) the source of disease.

The detrimental impact of the anti-vaccination movement has already been demonstrated: in January 2015, an 11-year-old child in the United States was hospitalised for a suspected measles infection. His only notable trip outside in the previous week was a visit to Disneyland. Within a month there were 125 measles cases reported. Thirty-nine (35%) of them had attended the same Disneyland theme park, 37 (34%) were unknown recipients, and 34 (31%) were secondary patients.

Among these secondary patients, 26 were members of the household or had close contact with the primary patients, and eight of them were exposed through community settings.

Preventable deaths

As medical professionals, our concern is what will happen in the long term, if the anti-vaccination movement is left uncontrolled? If these numbers continue to increase, then it might have a significant effect on the health of the entire nation.

There were 28 diphtheria cases, including five deaths reported in Malaysia in 2016, and 32 cases with seven fatalities in 2018. Most recently, in October 2018, an unvaccinated child died in Johor from diphtheria. She was only 14 months old.

It is a terrible tragedy for their families and a powerful reminder to the rest of us.

On a worrying note, there is an increase in the number of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, according to data from government clinics and hospitals. The good news is that despite the misinformation, Malaysians are doing a great job at keeping their children vaccinated, especially with programs such as the National Immunisation Programme (NIP).

This scheme has helped maintain a 95% vaccination rate among Malaysians.

For the 2016-2020 NIP campaign, the goals are to address the issue of vaccine refusal in the community, and to strengthen the programme by appealing directly to new or expecting parents, young professionals and students in higher education institutes. While 95% is fantastic and in accordance with World Health Organization standards, Malaysians can do better. We have access to free vaccination that can really save lives. People in other countries can only wish for such a blessing.

We have witnessed many outbreaks of preventable diseases; the latest of which is the diphtheria outbreak in Yemen in 2017, which resulted in 1,907 cases that includes 98 associated deaths. Children between the ages of five to 15 years were the most affected, representing 44% of all cases.

Let us be thankful we live in a safe and healthy country, and let us strive to keep it that way.

If you love your family, please encourage them to take their vaccines. Prevention is better than cure – that’s what we have always been told.

Prof Dr Amal Rashad Nimir is a lecturer of microbiology at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. This article is courtesy of Perdana University. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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This article first appeared in Mas&Pas on 29 January 2019. Viren Swami is Professor of Social Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University and Adjunct Professor and Director of Centre for Psychological Medicine at Perdana University.

After the birth of my son, I was diagnosed with postnatal depression. As a dad but also a social psychologist, I began writing about my experiencesto try and better understand what I was going through.

The response I’ve received from some readers, particularly new fathers, has been very supportive. But many people have also responded negatively – often to deny my own experiences (“what you have is not postnatal depression – it’s narcissism”), to question my masculinity (“you need to man up”), and sometimes with abuse (“pathetic”).

This isn’t an attempt to shame those individuals, as I suspect many of those negative comments are underpinned by a lack of understanding of postnatal depression. In fact, myths of postnatal depression in dads are common and here I want to tackle some of those myths.

Myth #1: Only mothers get postnatal depression

This has perhaps been the most common myth of postnatal depression that I’ve come across – that only birth mothers can experience postnatal depression.

Yet, the consensus among scientists and experts is that new fathers are not immune to postnatal depression. For example, one review found that between 6 to 13% of new mothers will experience depression in the first year after the birth of their child. But reviews of studies have also shown that up to 10% of new fathers will meet diagnostic criteria for postnatal depression, particularly in the first 6 months after the birth of a child.

There is also evidence that fathers whose partners had postnatal depression were about 2.5 times more likely to develop depression themselves in the 6 weeks after the birth of a child.

Myth #2: Postnatal depression is caused by hormonal fluctuations

I suspect one reason why the myth that fathers can’t get postnatal depression remains so popular is because of another popular misconception – that postnatal depression is primarily or only caused by hormonal fluctuations. The argument goes something like this: neurobiological changes during and after pregnancy cause postnatal depression in new mothers, but because new fathers do not experience the same neurobiological changes, they are immune to depressive symptoms. But this argument falls flat on two counts.

First, while it is true that postnatal depression in mothers is caused, in part, by rapid neurobiological changes (particularly in oestradiol, progesterone, oestrogen, and prolactin), there is also evidence that similar neurobiological fluctuations occur in men. For example, studies have shown that levels of testosterone, oestrogen, vasopressin, and prolactin all begin to decrease several months before delivery and remain at a low level for several months post-childbirth in most fathers.

These changes may not only directly affect depressive symptoms in fathers, but may also negatively impact child-bonding, which indirectly contributes to depressive symptoms. In short, to claim that new fathers do not experience neurochemical changes that may cause depression is misleading.

Second, to claim that postnatal depression is primarily or only caused neurobiological changes ignores the broader psychosocial context that leads to depression. Researchers often talk about a “multifactorial aetiology”, which means that postnatal depression often has multiple causes.

Risk factors include neurobiological changes, but also a previous history of mental illness, a genetic predisposition to mental illness, demographic factors (such as young age and low socioeconomic status), psychological factors (such as low self-esteem and childcare stress), and social factors (including lack of support from others and marital conflict). Many of these risk factors are not unique to mothers, but can also lead to depressive symptoms in fathers.

Fathers may sometimes also face difficulties that exacerbate risk factors, such as a relatively speedier return to work and inadequate parenting skills.

This isn’t to deny the fact that some risk factors – such as pregnancy-related stress, childbirth experiences, and breastfeeding difficulties – are specific to mothers. Even here, however, the impact of a mother’s difficult experiences on the father shouldn’t be dismissed. For example, when a new mother experiences difficulties breastfeeding, fathers may sometimes feel like a bystander, unable to help, and useless – which, in turn, can contribute to depressive symptoms.

Myth #3: Paternal postnatal depression is trivial

Another common myth is that, while postnatal depression in mothers has considerable impact on mothers themselves, their children, and society more generally (most notably in terms of the burden of healthcare costs), paternal postnatal depression is inconsequential or trivial. This simply isn’t true.

For fathers themselves, the individual impact of postnatal depression includes memory deficits and poorer work performance. More concerningly, fathers diagnosed with postnatal depression are about 21 times more likely to evidence suicide risk than fathers without postnatal depression.

Paternal postnatal depression has been associated with negative impacts on the father-mother relationship (including poorer relationship happiness, relationship disharmony, and co-parental conflict).

Finally, paternal postnatal depression also affects father-child bonding: fathers with depression are less willing to participate in child-rearing and less likely to engage in positive enrichment activities, such as reading and singing songs, with their child.

Depressed fathers are also more likely to physically discipline their children in the first year after birth compared to non-depressed fathers and to communicate with their infants in ways that are more self-focused and critical.

All of this, in turn, can seriously affect the development of children: negative father-child relationships can lead to detrimental cognitive, behavioural, social, and emotional development of children. In addition, paternal postnatal depression has been associated with children developing psychiatric conditions in later childhood, particularly in boys.

Myth #4: Fathers with postnatal depression are choosing to be depressed

“What have you got to be depressed about?” is a question I have been asked a lot (and, truth be told, a question I have often asked myself).

Implicit in this line of questioning is a belief that mental illness is a choice, that some new fathers are choosing to be depressed because they are attention-seeking, self-obsessed, or selfish.

Sitting comfortably with such attitudes is the notion that fathers need to (and have the ability to) “pull themselves together” for the sake of the partner and child, who are more deserving of sympathy and care.

I suspect one reason why such attitudes emerge is because some accusers have a deep misunderstanding of depression, viewing it not as a crippling mental health disorder with medical and emotional consequences, but rather as a triviality – not unlike having a bad day or having the blues.

Of course, depression – or, for that matter, any mental health disorder – is never a choice. No father ever “chooses” to be depressed, in the same way that no father ever chooses to lose a limb. Of course, choices that some fathers make (choosing not to seek help, for example) can lead to negative outcomes or prolong the course of depression, but this is in no way the same as saying that fathers choose to be depressed.

Myth #5: Fathers with postnatal depression are weak

When fathers talk about their experiences of postnatal depression, they are often told to “man up”.

Postnatally depressed fathers are stigmatised as being weak and unable to cope with the demands of parenthood. It would seem that, although societal attitudes toward depression in men are improving, there is something about paternal postnatal depression that continues to elicit negative judgements.

Much of this likely has to do with gendered constructions of masculinity, which emphasise male toughness, stoicism, and self-reliance. Fathers, in particular, are expected to be the “rock” that provides for families and remains tough and stoic no matter how difficult things get. Fathers experiencing or speaking out about symptoms of depression seem to be perceived as transgressing such societal expectations of masculinity and are punished for it.

The effect of such stigma, of course, is that fathers experiencing depressive symptoms may find it incredibly difficult to ask for help, precisely for fear of being stigmatised. Instead, they are more likely to deal with their symptoms of depression on their own – drinking, aggression, and withdrawal are all common responses to symptoms of postnatal depression.

Myth #6: Helping depressed fathers will result in a loss of services for mothers

Some people believe that providing healthcare services for depressed fathers will necessarily mean fewer services being available for mothers, who are more deserving of care.

While it is absolutely essential that healthcare services for mothers are protected and remain adequately funded, this shouldn’t be viewed as a zero-sum game. Ensuring that fathers receive adequate healthcare should not mean thieving from services aimed at mothers, but neither should it mean that fathers are left to fend on their own.

Depression is a serious illness that will not resolve itself (another common myth), but rather a debilitating condition that requires professional help. In the longer-term, ensuring that postnatally depressed fathers receive adequate professional help may also lower the cost burden associated with negative outcomes of paternal postnatal depression for the wider community.

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SERDANG, 30 Jan – Perdana University and BookDoc signed a Memorandum of Understanding today at the Perdana University campus in Serdang, Selangor. The MoU aims to solidify a collaborative relationship between the two institutions in the areas of teaching and research.

Perdana University is a leading provider of higher education with a focus in healthcare and medicine. Perdana University is also home for the School of Data Sciences, which carries out innovative data analytics-based research projects. It is expected that this memorandum will facilitate collaborative training, research, and publications, as well as enhance healthcare and fitness offerings through data-analytics.

BookDoc is an integrated online platform that connects patients to healthcare professionals, and incentivises active and healthy living through its network of retail partners and service providers.

According to Dato’ Chevy Beh, founder of BookDoc, “We are excited to work with academic institution such as Perdana University to see how we can further improve the entire healthcare ecosystem in the region.”

According to Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, Acting Vice Chancellor of Perdana University, “As the Industry Revolution 4.0 evolves and matures, the University avails itself to such partnerships as it will enrich the academic community, the students who will graduate to serve the community, and the community at large through the improvement of related services.”

“We envisage that this will help better understand the needs of the future from a teaching perspective and the new way services are rendered, which will be more data-driven and personalised,” he concluded.

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About Perdana University:

Perdana University is an initiative between Academic Medical Centre Sdn. Bhd. and the Public-Private Partnership Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department. Launched in September 2011, the University is committed to providing premier programmes in medical and health sciences. Its campus in Serdang, Selangor is home to internationally renowned faculty members and experts in Medicine, Psychological Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Bioinformatics and Data Science. Perdana University has five schools and one research centre: Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland School of Medicine (PU-RCSI), Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM), School of Data Sciences (PU-SDS), School of Occupational Therapy (PUScOT), School of Foundation Studies (PU-SFS), and Centre for Psychological Medicine (PU-CPM). It has partnerships with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, the Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network and many others for the delivery of its academic curricula and research programmes.  For more information, visit www.perdanauniversity.edu.my

About BookDoc:

BookDoc, with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia, is an online platform that operates across the healthcare continuum connecting patients to healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, while incentivising all to stay active. BookDoc has established an integrated online ecosystem for local and overseas health travellers. The ecosystem allows users to search and book healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, and integrates seamlessly with navigation (Google Map, Waze), transport (Grab, Uber, AirAsia), accommodation (Agoda and Airbnb) and recommended restaurants & attractions (TripAdvisor) for a hassle-free and enjoyable experience to healthcare appointments. In addition, through BookDoc Activ, it rewards users for maintaining high level of activity by partnering major retailers and service providers that offer users discounts for achieving reward tiers based on activity level.

The post Perdana University Signs MoU with BookDoc appeared first on Perdana University.

This article was written by Ibtisam Ishak, former intern at Perdana University Corporate Communications.

Ong Shu Chyi, a former state level badminton player and 4^th year student at PU-RCSI School of Medicine, did not set out to win awards when she applied for a summer research position at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Her 2-month stint at the laboratory of Dr. Viviana Bustos studying potassium ion channels and their role in wound healing proved to be rewarding, as she won not just one, but two awards for her work.

She was one of the recipients for the Rob Clarke 2017 Silver Award, conferred by The Physiological Society of United Kingdom, and the 3^rd prize for her oral presentation at the 32^nd Scientific Meeting of the Malaysian Society for Pharmacology and Physiology (MSPP) in Aug 2018. She was the only Malaysian present during the 2017 Physiological Society’s Rob Clarke Awards at the University of Leeds, and was the only undergraduate present in the Malaysian Society for Pharmacology and Physiology Meeting.

In an interview with Perdana University Corporate Communications, Shu Chyi recounted her first experience in laboratory research and presenting at the conferences. Shu Chyi’s brother, Ong Jea Sheng, who graduated from the same medical programme in 2016 and is currently at Hospital Raja Perempuan Bainun, was also involved in a laboratory project during his time at PU-RCSI. She consulted Prof. Dr. Warren Thomas, Associate Professor of Physiology at PU-RCSI, who then helped her secure an opportunity to conduct a summer research project in Ireland. To help fund her travels and expenses, she also applied for a research grant from the Physiological Society of UK which is available to members, affiliates and undergraduate members of the society.

In RCSI, under the supervision of Dr. Viviana Bustos, Shu Chyi studied two proteins called KCNQ1 and KCNN4, both of which are important for the wound healing and regenerative process of epithelial cells in colon. Epithelial cells are the type of cells that line the colon, and they need to be constantly replaced as they get damaged from acids in gastric juices. This process is carefully controlled, but in the event of dysregulation it can lead to over-proliferation, growth, and worst, cancer. Shu Chyi’s research shows that the two proteins worked in opposition to promote and inhibit cell growth. In the big picture, this work will facilitate our understanding of colorectal cancer, and therefore lead to improved treatments for patients.

Youngest in the family, she grew up in Ipoh, and graduated from SMK Gunung Rapat (SPM) and SMJK Sam Tet (STPM). Inspired by her older brother, she followed his footsteps in pursuing a degree in medicine. Her brother graduated two years back under the same program under Perdana University and is currently a houseman in Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun.

However, not all that glitter is gold. Shu Chyi faced numerous difficulties prior to her success. For starters, despite this being her third research project at Perdana University, the previous two involved clinical related surveys while this research is based on laboratory work, something she is not acquainted to. Despite being new in laboratory research, she persevered till the end by learning from her mistakes and believed in herself. She read on scientific journals provided by her supervisor as the title research is quite unfamiliar to her. She practiced lab skills that is crucial for the research such as pipetting and Western Blotting. None of those skills were taught to her in details in medical school. Hence, the skills she attained are simply exceptional. She described her experience with laboratory work as fascinating and challenging, as it triggers her to work harder in achieving a better research outcome.

Shu Chyi offers some words of wisdom to aspiring youngsters out there who is interested in the field of research. “Go for it! Failure is just the beginning of a journey towards a greater success. Give yourself a chance to experience what research is about, and who knows, you might be a successful researcher in the future!”

The post Award-winning Research appeared first on Perdana University.

PUScOT students Dhashmini Thangavelu, Tashvinderjitt Kaur Gurmukh Singh and Vanessa Choy Wen Yee spent 2 weeks in the Hand Clinic of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore in January 2019 as part of their clinical posting. They shared their experience in an interview with Corporate Communications.

Tell us briefly about what you did during the clinical placement.

Vanessa: During the attachment, we were given the opportunity to attend clinic sessions as well as observe hand surgeries in the operation theater. It is a very rare opportunity for non-medical students to be allowed into the operation theater to observe surgeries close-up, so we are extremely grateful that we were allowed entry into the operation theater to observe micro-surgeries. Many surgeries were performed by the hand surgeons (Mr. Vaikunthan and team), such as tendon repair, carpal tunnel and trigger finger release, and finger amputation procedures. The principal occupational therapist in KTPH, Miss Jane, also accommodated our requests and helped with the arrangements so that we could observe the speech and language therapists performing their tests and interventions, participate in music therapies with patients with dementia, as well as shadow senior occupational therapists in various in-ward settings, such as dementia, neurological, and orthopedic wards.

What is the most important or significant thing that you learned there?

Dhashmini: One thing that we never got a chance to see in any of the local hospitals we got posted was wound management. It was something new to the occupational therapy role and responsibilities as we have never had any theory or clinical experience on wound management in terms of removing the stitches and cleaning the affected wound area on hands.

Vanessa: I learnt that despite the hustle and bustle of the day, it is crucial to be sensitive towards the patients’ concerns and to accommodate them as best as we can. Building good rapport with our patients contribute to the favourable rehabilitation outcome, as we practice client-centred approach, thus knowing about the “what” and “why”, “how” and “when” of the goals to be achieved help in ensuring the success of rehabilitation. Apart from helping patients return to their previous capabilities, occupational therapists also play a very important role as advocates.

Tashvinderjitt: The most important thing that we learnt there is we got to experience the different settings of an occupational therapy unit in Malaysia and Singapore. Although the treatment is quite similar, in Singapore it is compulsory to learn wound management.

Did the experience change your career pathway, or cement your interest in a certain specialty within the OT field? Tell us a bit about that.

Tashvinderjitt: Hand therapy is not really my area of interest at the moment, however I do hope it would be someday as it’s quite interesting to attend to all kinds of cases and assess them to initiate treatment. 

What advice would you give to other students who want to pursue a career in OT?

Tashvinderjitt: As an OT, we address the vital importance of people’s psychological and emotional well being, as well as their physical needs. It is one of the most holistic health care profession which requires sensitivity, understanding and compassion and certainly it does contribute alot to the community.

Dhashmini: Rehabilitation plays an important role as they will be referred to us in order to be trained to return to the community. Thus, occupational therapists hold a very big responsibility in treating patients in order to encourage them to fulfil their lives with meaningful activities even after any injury or disabilities.

The post OT in SG appeared first on Perdana University.

The article below appeared in the Feb 3 issue of Health with Perdana, a regular column in The Star by Perdana University faculty members. This week’s article is contributed by Prof. Srikumar Chakravarthi, Professor of Pathology and Acting Dean at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine.

One-third of all cancer deaths are preventable and can be attributed to lifestyle choices that we all make every day. Poor diet, lack of physical activity, and consuming alcohol and tobacco are all associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Simply changing what and how much we eat can significantly reduce the risk. It is also important to note that a healthy, balanced diet should come from natural and whole foods, not from vitamin supplements.

Being overweight or obese has been linked to cancers of almost all the organs in the body, including kidney, pancreas, liver and breast. Given the lethality of some of these cancers, we have to be mindful of our weight and control our caloric intake.

Indeed, the most important factor in the relationship between diet and prevention of cancer is healthy weight maintenance throughout life. Weight maintenance can be achieved by balancing caloric intake from food and beverages, with physical activity.

Reduce Intake

Research suggests that too much dietary fat, especially unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fat, may lead to an increased risk for a variety of cancers such as colon, rectum and prostate cancer.

The fat content in meat may contribute to the production of secondary compounds in the body that act as carcinogens. Major sources include cheese, pizza, desserts and red meat.

Perhaps we can replace that “cheese leleh burger” with foods containing healthy fats, i.e. essential omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood and most plant-based oils.

Meanwhile, a high intake of processed meat and red meats (beef or pork) may be associated with an increase in stomach and colorectal cancers. Evidence suggests that risk for colon and rectal cancer may increase by 15%-20% for every 100g of red meat or 50g of processed meat per day.

Red meat contains compounds such as iron that may cause the formation of free radicals. Processed meats contain nitrates, which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and are suspected of causing cancer in humans.

Consumption of processed meat also increases one’s exposure to carcinogenic chemicals from methods of preservation that involve smoke or salt.

There are still no robust studies that have conclusively shown that you should eliminate them entirely from your diet, but for those who are already predisposed to cancer (e.g. having family members with cancer), it is smart to limit your consumption of these two foods.

Carcinogens are also present in certain foods and evidence suggests that eating salt-cured, smoked, pickled or charcoal-broiled foods can increase the risk for cancer. Rates of stomach and oesophageal cancer cases are especially high in parts of the world where food is often prepared using these methods.

We should also be mindful of how we cook. A substance called benzopyrene is formed when fat from meat drips on to hot coals during broiling. The rising smoke then deposits this carcinogenic substance on the meat.

High-temperature frying may convert some of the meat proteins into products that damage our cells, which can lead to tumours and cancers.

The fat in foods like the cheese and meat in this burger may contribute to the production of carcinogens in the body.

Increase Intake

Specific nutrients and food constituents of fruits, vegetables and whole grains may act as anti-cancer substances when consumed in the proper amounts found in a varied diet.

Consuming fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may also help in healthy weight maintenance – the ultimate goal in cancer prevention, according to research.

Wholegrain plants such as wheat, oats, rice and barley contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, which may help prevent cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, such as colon and rectal cancer.

Dietary fibre is the material from plant cells that the body cannot digest completely and it is found in vegetables, legumes, fruit, whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds.

Fibre provides bulk in the diet and it helps move food through the intestines and out of the body at regular intervals. However, fibre supplements are not recommended.

Plants contain many beneficial compounds such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phyto-chemicals and fibre, which may act to reduce the risk for cancers such as lung, mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, stomach and colo-rectal.

There are several groups of fruits and vegetables that may offer particularly protective effects, such as dark green and orange vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli), flavonoids (soy, tea), legumes, sulphides (garlic, onion) and tomato products.

Antioxidants are compounds present in fruits and vegetables that help protect tissues from being damaged. Tissue damage is linked to increased cancer risk; therefore antioxidants may play a role in cancer prevention.

Types of antioxidants include vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E, and the carotenoids – vitamin A and beta-carotene. Their protective effect is only observed when one consumes antioxidants from plant foods such as fruits and vegetables, and not from supplements.

Phytochemicals (or phytonutrients) include dark green and orange vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, flavonoids and sulphides, and show a decrease in risk for cancer, but the relationship is unknown.

Take In Moderation

Heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages (more than two drinks per day for men and more than one drink per day for women) increases the risk of mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, pancreas, bladder, colorectal and breast cancers.

The link between cancer and alcohol is complex because frequent alcohol consumption may result in many health problems. The carcinogenic effect may result from the direct contact of alcohol on the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus.

Heavy drinking can result in liver cirrhosis, which may lead to liver cancer. Alcoholics commonly have nutritional deficiencies because alcohol contains only empty calories, and food intake is often compromised. If heavy drinkers also smoke cigarettes, the risk for cancer is compounded.

Alcohol is high in calories and low in nutrients. Calories from alcohol can contribute to weight gain, again a risk factor for cancer. The risk factors for cancer act cumulatively to contribute to the occurrence of cancer; they are not necessarily the cause of cancer.

Lifestyle risk factors for cancer are usually preventable and avoiding certain factors may lower one’s risk in developing cancer. Avoid excess weight gain by limiting high caloric foods and beverages, decreasing food portions, limiting high calorie snacks and engaging in regular physical activity.

The post Here’s how to eat right to prevent cancer appeared first on Perdana University.

This article is written by Dr. Esslin Terrighena, a Research Associate at PU-CPM. Visit her website Mind Balance to subscribe to her articles.

Many clients come into therapy because they find their emotions overwhelming. In particular, anxiety, anger, and pain can be hard to manage and can severely interfere with people’s lives. As a result, we tend to want to avoid these negative feelings. Unfortunately, the more we try to avoid them, the louder they will typically speak: Often the reason they have become overwhelming is because we have been trying to run away from them so long.

Emotions hold valuable information for us. Even as babies, before we can speak, negative emotions can help us to recognize threats in the environment. Fear can alert us to danger and urges us to change our behaviour. Anger can tell us that our boundaries are being violated and we need to defend ourselves. Sadness can show us that we are experiencing loss of someone or something that we had a strong connection with. Although we may not realize this, emotions guide our decision-making and our social interactions on a daily basis. Our memory capacity is limited, which means we cannot store all the details of our past experiences. The gaps is filled by emotion: We may feel uncomfortable in a certain situation or dislike someone we just met without knowing why. This may result from something triggering the negative emotion of a past experience and reminding us to protect ourselves, even when we cannot access the storyline of the memory. Brains that could encode memories this way helped us to survive and were passed on to the next generation.

Given this link to our survival, emotion mechanisms are persistent and strong. Emotions will find a way to get our attention, especially when we are trying to avoid them, because they have messages to give us. So ironically, one way to release unwanted, dysfunctional or persistent negative emotion is to walk toward it. A key element hereby is observation. We tend to engage with our thoughts in ways that increase the emotion and enhance the hold it may have over us. Focussing on the emotion itself will therefore take us away from those thoughts and can help to weaken its effect.

What does the feeling look like if we had to visualize it? What thoughts are connected to this feeling? What does it feel like inside our bodies? And, importantly, what is it urging us to do? Exploring our unwanted emotions can help us discover where they come from, how they developed and why they are weighing us down. Not only can that make us experience greater control over these emotions, but we can also identify areas for behavioural change that may alleviate their source.

So when emotions start to build up, it can be useful to turn toward them and see what information they may hold. Observe them like you are trying to analyse them without immersing yourself in them, creating space between you and the emotion. Get to know the emotion and begin to regain control over it.

The post Emotions: Avoid or Embrace? appeared first on Perdana University.

The article below appeared in the Feb 17th issue of Health with Perdana, a regular column in The Star by Perdana University faculty members. This week’s article is contributed by Dr. Razia Latif, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine.

Eczema is a condition in which patches of skin become red, cracked, itchy and inflamed. In medical terminology, it is called atopic dermatitis.

The rash can easily get infected, but is not contagious. It can occur at any age, but is commonly seen in children between the ages of six months and five years.

Signs and symptoms

Eczema can affect any part of the body. However, manifestations of eczema vary in different age groups. Eczema looks different in infants than in older children. In infants, the red, inflamed rash is commonly seen on the face, cheeks, chin, forehead and scalp.

In older children, the affected skin appears thickened and brownish, commonly involving the creases of the elbows and the knees, while sometimes also involving the wrists, ankles and hands. The hallmark of the rash in all age groups is itching, which in turn makes the rash worse.

What causes it?

We do not exactly know what causes eczema. Perhaps a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Approximately half the children who develop eczema will also develop hay fever or asthma. Generally, a history of eczema, hay fever, asthma or other allergies is also present in other family members.

The good news about eczema is that more than half the children who develop eczema will outgrow it by the time they become teenagers.

Common triggers that cause flare-ups of eczema include dryness of the skin, hot weather, sweating, infection, pollen, dust, harsh soaps and detergents, and some allergy-provoking foods.

Managing it

If your child has eczema, don’t despair! There is a lot that you can do to help your child with eczema.

Bathe the child daily in warm water (not hot water), using a moisturising body wash. After the bath, pat the skin dry and apply unscented moisturising cream or ointment all over the body. Evidence suggests that creams and ointments are more effective than lotions and oils.

Keep the skin moist and lubricated at all times. You may need to apply the moisturiser several times a day, especially in dry weather. Make sure you wash your hands before and after applying the cream.

Make sure that your child’s fingernails and toenails are kept clean and short, so that they do not scratch themselves, which can make the condition worse. Putting mittens and socks on an infant at night and at nap times will help in this respect and will enable baby to sleep better.

Their room should be cool and comfortable, as heat makes the condition worse. Your doctor may prescribe an oral medicine (antihistamine) to control the itching. Your child’s clothes should be soft, cottony and not very warm.

Wash the clothing and bedsheets in a mild, unscented detergent. Vacuum the house regularly as dust can trigger or worsen the rashes. Try to identify and avoid any triggers or allergies that might be making the condition worse.

If the above steps do not help or the rash seems to be getting worse, consult a physician who might prescribe a steroid cream to clear the rash. Use the cream during acute flare-ups as per your doctor’s instructions.

Another reason for consulting your doctor would be infection. This may be the case if the eczema rashes appear bright red, crusty and angry looking, or is oozing yellowish discharge. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to clear up the infection.

The eczema will only respond to the usual treatment once the infection is under control and cleared up. Remember, controlling the dryness of the skin and itching, and avoiding your child’s triggers, is of paramount importance, and may be all that is needed in milder cases of eczema.

There is no cure for eczema, but the symptoms can be controlled by the measures outlined above. This condition often waxes and wanes, so the rash may appear and disappear from time to time.

The rash generally starts to improve around five years of age and the majority of children outgrow the condition by the time they reach adolescence.

Dr Razia Latif is an associate professor of paediatrics at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine. This article is courtesy of Perdana University. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

The post The Basics of Managing Your Child’s Eczema appeared first on Perdana University.

Contributed by Alicia Ong Su May (PU-RCSI).

On the 16^th of February 2019, 25 students from Perdana University participated in the 6^th NUMed Games held in Educity Sports Complex, Johor Bahru, Johor. NUMed Games is an annual sports event organised by Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) whereby universities across Malaysia compete in different sports events. Out of the 25 students, 22 were from Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (PU-RCSI) while 3 were from Foundation in Science (FiS). The students took part in various games, such as badminton, tennis, table tennis, futsal, athletics and tug-of-war. Perdana University students managed to bring back a total of 7 medals (1 gold, 2 silvers and 4 bronze).

The full results:

1 Gold: 200m Sprint (won by Alicia)

2 Silver: Tennis (won by Raveen) & Table Tennis (won by Boon Tsann and Manesh)

4 Bronze: 4x100m Relay (won by Alicia, Adeline, Sakthi and Kyshanty), Badminton Women’s Single (won by Aruvvi), Badminton Mixed Double (won by Aruvvi and Nirosh), Tug-of-War (won by Ameer, Adeline, Vimalan, Pavitra, Swarnah, Imran, Enli, Aishwaryaa, Nicholas, Shakti and Afiq)

Acknowledgement: PU futsal team (represented by Vimalan, Christian, Ameer, Fauzan, Harresh, Thillak and Dharshan)

Congratulations to the PU Contingent for the amazing achievement in NUMed Games!

The post PU students win big at the NUMed Games appeared first on Perdana University.

KSRAMC (Kelab Sosial dan Rekreasi Academic Medical Center), with its founding objective to promote participation in social and recreational activities among members as a mean to foster closer relationship within the PU family, organized its 3rd Annual Dinner on 15th February 2019 at Bangi Resort Hotel, for all members to get together to enjoy marvelous food, good fun and fabulous bonding time .

Themed “Mystical Masquerade – A Night of Disguise”, a total of 69 members and guests turned up for the event looking absolutely fabulous and as ‘required’ – Mystical. The event venue, Bilik Melor of Bangi Resort Hotel, was all decked up by the talented hands of our very own dedicated Sub-committee members.

Upon registration, the guests were treated to unlimited instant photo session at the hired professional photobooth for all to leave their best smiles in print. 

The Dinner started off with a welcoming speech by our Acting VC Dato’ Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malik (Dr Fazul). The Club is most honoured to have the presence of Dr Fadhlullah at the dinner amidst his hectic schedule. Following this and a Doa Recitation, dinner was served in buffet style at the prompt of our gorgeous MC Ms Mellyssa.

What would be a dinner without any performance. Yes, Perdana University has successfully well-guarded a couple of beautiful songbirds. Mellyssa, in her grand entrance as the MC, entranced us with Michael Buble’s “Sway”. Another hidden talent, Ms. Syaqina of PUScOT, mesmerized us with Disney’s Anastasia – “Once Upon in December”.

One of the highlights of the event was the award of Long Service Awards – the club’s effort in recognizing outstanding contributions by members who have served the University’s for 5 years and above. 24 deserving members were presented with a certificate and token of appreciation.

As the memorable night drew to a close, the excitement peaked as the “Most Creatively Dressed Male/Female Awards” were announced and given to none other than the best – Mr Fudhail Hakimi Arif who dressed as the male-version of Maleficent; and Ms Nik Elena, who dressed as the sweet and beautiful Princess Elsa (and her little Batboy!).

The KSRAMC 2018/19 Committee takes this opportunity to thank all who took time to attend the function, and mostly, the contribution and hardwork of the sub-committee and others who made this night an unforgettable one for all.

The post KSRAMC 2019 Annual Dinner celebrates Perdana’s longest serving staff appeared first on Perdana University.

Contributed by Nik Elena, Lecturer at PU-SFS.

Our trip to Pusat Darah Negara (National Blood Centre) began in the wee hours of the morning when we gathered at Perdana University at 8 am. Three faculty members, Mr Tan Kwee Yong, Dr Lee Tze Yan and Ms Nik Elena accompanied 28 sleepy students from the Foundation in Science programme onto the comfortable bus that Mr Tan had organized for us. As soon as the bus began moving, we settled in for a long ride into the heart of  Kuala Lumpur. However, any attempts to snooze were thwarted when the bus’s entertainment system started up – Mr Tan began relating ghost stories from his student life, much to the delight of several of the students.

Forty-five minutes and four ghost stories later, we found ourselves in the lobby of Pusat Darah Negara. Puan Noraini, one of our hosts and a nurse, brought us directly to a meeting room for a short presentation. As we took our seats, we noticed that each chair had a strategically placed live microphone on the table before it. It was certainly a quiet meeting room that morning. Dr Faiz Hakim then began his presentation, providing startling statistics on the country’s main blood bank, and emphasizing the dire need for blood donations. It was sobering, enlightening, and certainly motivating for those of us who wanted to donate our blood and its components.

Puan Noraini then brought us on a tour of the building, after which we headed to lunch. As we filled our bellies, 3 heroes from our group (Dr Lee Tze Yan, Josephine Ng We Ni, Ariv Isvar Nair A/L Nagarajan) remained behind at the main building to donate their blood. Several other would-be heroes also attempted to contribute but were refused due to the strict criteria laid down for donations. Maybe next time, my friends.

Overall, it was an eye-opening yet memorable experience, and we are proud of those who donated blood and helped save lives around the country. We thank Dr Faiz Hakim and Puan Noraini for their grace and hospitality and we thank Pusat Darah Negara for their continued heroic efforts in looking after Malaysians in times of sickness and crisis.

The post SFS visits PDN appeared first on Perdana University.

This article was written by Jocelyn Tan Xin Yi (PU-RCSI) for the AMSA International Newsletter. The article, as it originally appeared, can be read here (pages 52-54)

Doesn’t Teddy Bear Hospital sound strange to you? Is it a hospital filled with teddy bears? Of course not! This program was established by several medical universities in Europe with the goal to educate simple health concepts to young children aged between 4-7. A make-believe hospital is set up and children are told to bring their “sick/unwell/wounded” teddy bears or plush toys for treatment. Children will then role-play as parents and witness the whole process on how their teddy bears are fixed or healed.

Throughout this process, Teddy Bear Hospital aims to alleviate children’s anxiety towards doctors as well as eliminate the “white coat syndrome”. AMSA Perdana University is extremely honored to be in permanent collaboration with IMACATS (IMAM Children and Teens Super Team) for this program. We’re currently still in the process of becoming one of the pioneer universities to conduct the Teddy Bear Hospital Student Chapter in Malaysia. Till date, we have successfully conducted two Teddy Bear Hospital Sessions which were at AEON 2 Seremban Mall and Q-dees Kindergarten, Subang Bestari.

Before each event, all student volunteers are required to attend a one-day training session conducted by representatives from IMACATS. This training session briefly introduces what is Teddy Bear Hospital and how to become a good “Teddy Doctor”. Some role play tips were given on how to interact with the children and their teddy bears. We were also briefed on the job scopes of each station which includes: Registration, Teddy Sees Doctor, Teddy Gets Fixed, Teddy Eats Healthy, Teddy Gets Exercise and Photo Booth.

Each station involves student volunteers to treat the teddy bear as their patient and allow the children to involve actively in the treatment process. At the Teddy Sees Doctor and Teddy Gets Fixed stations, student volunteers are required to do medical checkups and give medical treatment to the teddies according to “patient history” presented by the children.  At Teddy Eats Healthy and Teddy Gets Exercise station, student volunteers will teach the children how to eat healthy and also do some fun exercises to keep fit. At the photo booth, the children can take pictures with their teddies while wearing a mini white coat and stethoscope toy as a token of memory.

For both of our sessions, we have received many positive feedbacks from parents who accompanied their children for the sessions. We also had some parents who commented that their child had a lot of fun and felt less afraid of doctors with white coats after the session. Our student volunteers too gave good responds saying that this program improved their communication skills with younger children.

In short, we do sincerely hope that the Teddy Bear Student Chapter can be another successful program in all other AMSA Malaysia Universities as well as other AMSA Chapters worldwide.

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