The Health Plus | january, 2019
02
p02 i Trust ijn
Keep it
pumping
IJN commemorates Heart Failure
Awareness Day with public forum
on heart failure
T
he base for this year’s Heart Failure
Awareness Day was Institut Jantung
Negara (IJN), as doctors and patients
came together to know more about the
life-threatening condition.
The program kicked off at around
10am, where moderator Shiao Eek Tee
Official launching of IJN website and support
group by Dr Azmee and Dr Aizai Azan (right).
presented panelists Dato Dr Mohamed Ezani Taib,
Head and Director of Operation, Private Healthcare
Division, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Dato Dr
Azmee Mohd Ghazi, Clinical Director for Heart Failure
and Heart Transplant, Consultant Cardiologist to the
crowd. The forum, aptly named ‘Keep It Pumping’ dis-
cussed in detail about heart failure and ways to manage
and treat it.
“Heart failure, or more known as congestive heart
failure, is the end result of the damage to the heart.
It is defined as the heart not being able to function as
a pump, and won’t be able to supply enough blood to
other organs and tissues,” Dr Azmee explains.
He adds, “There are various other conditions which
lead to heart failure, and when a patient has reached a
certain level of heart failure, they will most likely need
to undergo heart transplant to survive.”
Dr Ezani also gave insights into the matter. He
says, “For people living with heart failure, it can be a
challenge to lead a normal life. There are certain things
they won’t be able to do such as drink too much water
and consume to much salt in their diet. These factors
can put them at greater risk then they are already in.”
The program then was forwarded to a sharing of
experience session, where the crowd was introduced
to Wong Kee Siong and Ng Kee Kiat. Two heart failure
patients who had undergone heart transplant and are
now living well.
Afterwards, Dr Azmee introduced the heart failure
support group and website, a platform where heart
failure patients can connect to the people at IJN for
moral support. “We can manage and give advice to the
patients when they are in the hospital, but once they
leave and go back home, they might not have the same
support morally,” Dr Azmee tells.
“With this support group, we aim to help patients
at home to cope with their condition and give moral
support when needed. The patients will have access to
doctors, nurses, dieticians, physiologists, and counsel-
lors through this support group,” he assures.
The launch of the support group and the website was
officiated by Datuk Dr Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim, Chief
Clinical Officer and Senior Consultant Cardiologist of
IJN. The program came to an end with a particularly
interesting cooking demonstration by Nga Mei Hun,
IJN Dietician, and Dr Lee Tjen Jhung, Clinical Fellow
Cardiology. The duo prepared a dish full of flavor and
nutrients, perfect for the heart! — The Health Plus
In Talks: Shiao Eek Tee (left) starts off the discussion on heart failure during the forum with Dr
Azmee (centre) and Dr Mohamed Ezani (left).