The Health | October, 2019
22
exclusive
You can find Dr Imelda actively busting medical myths on her social media.
Why wait, Ask Dr Imelda!
The information has been passed on through the generations – but is it accurate?
Why do we even
believe in myths?
“My experience as a medical student in the
UK for six years, and working as a doctor in
the UK for 17 years, have taught me that
myths and folk tales are present even in
developed countries and many people still
believe in them.”
Take a quick look on social media, it’s
filled with health products claiming to have
miraculous cure all powers. They particularly
prey on the elderly or the sick who are often
swayed by the promise of quick recovery.
“This is why laws are created to protect the
general public from fraud. Unfortunately, the
difference between Malaysia and the devel-
oped world is how these laws are enforced to
protect the public from fraud.
“When fraudulent products are not being
banned quick enough, unethical sellers will
use this opportunity to push sales of these
products through illegal advertising, and
misuse of testimonials to gain the confidence
of consumers in their products. We need to,
therefore, provide information to the general
public on how to be a smart consumer.”
By Reenassri Sekaran
D
r Imelda Balchin is Malay-
sia’s famous and outspoken
gynaecologist. Scroll through
her social media – she is one
woman who is on a mission to
empower women with medical
facts and busting myths that come her way.
She’s also a member of the Medical Myth-
busters Malaysia (M3), no surprise there!
Turn your channel to Astro Ria and you can
find her with her very own talk show titled
‘Tanya Dr Imelda’ – a talk show for highlight-
ing women’s health issues.
We meet in her new clinic at KPJ Dam-
ansara Specialist Hospital. In the midst
of decorating her new clinic, there was a
constant stream of patients. After an hour,
she invites me into her office, we sit down
and she fills me in on her journey.
“I graduated with Bachelor of Medical
Sciences from the University of St Andrews,
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Sur-
gery from University of Manchester, Masters
of Science in Public Health from Imperial
College London.
“I completed my Doctorate of Medicine
(research) from Imperial College London,
passed the membership exam of the Royal
College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
UK, and became an accredited Subspecialist
in the field of Maternal and Fetal Medicine
which focuses on complex problems during
pregnancy, diseases of the unborn fetus and
complicated childbirth,” says Dr Imelda.
She then trained to be a specialist in
Obstetrics and Gynaecology in London.
During that time she was the only doctor
in Obstetrics & Gynaecology who obtained
Myths surrounding
pregnancy and
childbirth are the
more pressing issue
Dr Imelda is faced with
on a regular basis.
an award to become a part-time clinical
lecturer at the Department of Public Health
of University College London.
“My specialty is unique in that my
expertise is a combination between public
health and in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, with
a special focus on prevention of problems
during pregnancy and childbirth.”
How did you become part of M3?
“I was invited by Medical Mythbusters
Malaysia to become a member, after I begun
posting about health education publicly in
social media. Myths, no matter how weird
they are, are only funny for as long as they
do not cause harm to the public who wish to
believe in them and practice them.
“Myths that cause harm to people need to
be busted! A common belief is that drinking
more than two cups of water per day after
childbirth could cause vaginal leaking’ - this
is only true if a women suffered the trauma