september, 2019 | The Health
Current News
05
Briefs
Fuelled
with kindness
WHITE
SOCKS UP:
The doctors at
IJN wore single
white socks
for the whole
of September
to spread
awareness
of peripheral
artery disease.
A leg up
for PAD sufferers
IJN is all in to spread awareness on peripheral artery disease
T
he National Heart Institute (IJN) is partici-
pating in the global ‘White Sock Campaign’,
which aims to raise public awareness of
peripheral artery disease (PAD) every Sep-
tember. Created by the Save a Leg, Save a
Life Foundation, the white sock symbolises
late-stage PAD patients who have lost their limbs due to
delayed treatment.
Affecting some 204 million people worldwide, PAD is
a common circulatory problem that result in narrowing
of the arteries that lead to the head, organs, and limbs.
It occurs when excess cholesterol and fats (called plaque)
build up in the walls of the arteries, causing them to narrow
and disrupt blood flow.
IJN Group Executive Officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Azhari
Yakub explained that many patients living with PAD are
sometimes unaware that they even have the condition.
“Many either do not experience the common symptoms of
leg pain, or tend to wave off these aches instead of consult-
ing with a medical practitioner,” he said.
“Considering that two major risk factors of PAD are
diabetes and unhealthy cholesterol levels, and these
lifestyle conditions are on the rise in Malaysia, PAD is no
small matter,” he adds.
IJN currently offers a comprehensive range of test and
treament options under its PAD services package. This
includes physical examinations, such as blood pressure
tests and body mass index (BMI) measurements; labora-
tory and blood sugar tests, and the Ankle Brachial pressure
index (ABI) test, a quick and non-invasive method of
assessing PAD.
To treat artery blockages due to PAD, IJN offers a
minimally invasive procedure called peripheral vascular
intervention (PVI). PVI involves guiding a catherer through
an opening in the leg, after which necessary tools such as
stents can be inserted to treat the disease. IJN was the
first hospital in Asia to carry out PVI using a multi-stent
delivery system called VascuFlex Multi-LOC. — The Health
20 years of
good deeds
The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in
Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (HCTM UKM) celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Since its opening in 1999, almost 1,300 families of paedi-
atric patients across Malaysia have stayed in the home. This
RMHC is the first temporary accommodation or ‘home away
from home’ within a hospital premise in the ASEAN region,
and has helped ease the burden of families with paediatric
patients undergoing treatment in HCTM UKM.
Reminiscing memories of its launch two decades ago,
Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali said, “I am very proud of the
ongoing commitment by RMHC Malaysia and HCTM UKM
in their efforts to keep families close when their children
are undergoing treatment. 20 years is indeed a long time,
and I am deeply touched by the support of various parties
who ensure that the facilities here are well maintained in
order to aid the children who are in critical condition, as
well as their families.”
Azmir Jaafar, President of RMHC Malaysia as well as
Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDon-
ald’s Malaysia said, “This unique ‘home away from home’
concept is an effort by RMHC Malaysia to enable parents
and guardians to fully focus on their children’s recovery.
We also hope that through strategic collaborations with
the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, the state
government, and healthcare providers, especially hospitals
HAPPY SMILES: (From bottom left) Prof Dato
Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, Director of HCTM UKM,
Datuk Dr A Rahman A Jamal, Director of UKM Medical
Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Tun Dr Siti Hasmah,
Azmir Jaafar, President of RMHC Malaysia, and Mohd
Nasri Nordin, General Manager of RMHC Malaysia.
with high traffic, we can expand our programme to benefit
families of patients nationwide.”
Prof Ir Dr Mohd Hamdi Abd Shukor, Vice Chancellor
of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said, “As one of
Malaysia’s renowned hospitals, HCTM UKM receives more
than 20,000 paediatric patients annually. Besides easing
the burden of paediatric patients and their families, the
existence of the Ronald McDonald House Charities has also
indirectly improved the quality of healthcare services here
at the hospital.” — The Health
A total of RM428,388 was raised
for the National Kidney Foundation
of Malaysia (NKF) in a Raya charity
campaign held by Shell retailers in
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri
Sembilan.
Shell Malaysia’s ‘Anda Pam, Kami
Derma’ campaign was initiated in an
effort to spread the spirit of caring
and sharing during the balik kampung
season. During the campaign period,
315 Shell retailers donated one sen
(RM0.01) to NKF for every litre of
petrol pumped at Shell stations in
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negeri
Sembilan.
“NKF is delighted to be a part of
Shell Malaysia’s ‘Anda Pam, Kami
Derma’ campaign this year. We
would like to express our utmost
appreciation to all Shell retailers who
have participated in this charitable
project. The funds received will
certainly help to ease the burden of
our patients as well as improving their
quality of life”, said Datin S Shobana,
Head of Fundraising and Branding &
Communications, NKF Malaysia at the
cheque presentation ceremony.
“This marks our second
consecutive year to have Shell retailers
in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor
participate in this social responsibility
programme and we are thrilled to
have Negeri Sembilan Shell retailers
joining the force. It is certainly a great
achievement to be accomplished
within 6 days,” said Zharin Zhafrael,
National Sales Manager, Shell
Malaysia Trading Sdn. Bhd.
RMHC opens its
doors in USM
Hospital Kelantan
The Ronald McDonald House
Charities (RMHC) has started
operation at Hospital Universiti
Sains Malaysia (HUSM) in Kelantan.
The opening of this Ronald
McDonald House Charities makes
it the second of its kind in Malaysia,
following the first at Hopsital
Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (HCTM UKM)
back in 1999.
With a construction cost of RM4
million, the house is equipped with
18 bedrooms as well as a dining
room, lounge, kitchen, laundry room,
games room, and other facilities
for occupants. Apart from that, this
house is made more special with the
Ronald McDonald Sensory Room
which provides special multi-sensory
equipment donated to Hospital USM
to assist with the development of
special needs children.
Azmir Jaafar, President of RMHC
Malaysia commented: “There is a
need for Ronald McDonald House
Charities to open here at HUSM as
it receives 20,000 patients annually.
This facility is important because it
doesn’t only provide the amenities
and accommodation to alleviate the
burden of the patient’s family, but also
provide some of these families with
emotional strength coming
from the support of other families
who are accompanying their sick
children receiving treatment.”
— The Health