Health in Focus
This year’s World Health Day aims to advocate health for all under its “My health, my right” theme. Understanding these concerns, Borneo Medical Centre in Kuching has set up a booth in their hospital lobby to promote health screenings, providing free access to glucose and cholesterol screening.
Each year, World Health Day advocates for a health challenge that the organisation deems a current concern. This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified a growing threat to health rights in certain regions.
As an organisation advocating for universal health access, the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All has discovered that at least 140 countries recognise health as a human right in their constitutions. However, many countries are failing to pass and implement laws ensuring that their populations have access to health services.
In response to this global challenge, the WHO has chosen “My Health, My Right” as the theme for this year’s World Health Day. The theme aims to champion the rights of everyone, everywhere, ensuring access to quality health services, education, information, safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working conditions, environmental safety, and freedom from discrimination.
In line with the advocacy of WHO, the Borneo Medical Centre in Kuching has organised a free health screening for glucose and cholesterol levels, aiming to empower individuals to take control of their health. The health screening drive also featured a mini heart exhibition, aimed at promoting heart health.
Delving into the heart of the health screening drive in their lobby, Resident Medical Officer Dr Astrid Ong emphasised the focus on glucose and cholesterol. This decision stems from a recent report indicating that 15 per cent of Malaysians are diagnosed with obesity.
“We are conducting the free health screening to raise awareness among people about their current health status. By understanding their health baseline at the time of screening, individuals can then seek appropriate measures or treatments based on their conditions,” said the doctor.
Understanding the risk
In the hospital lobby, a giant heart served as the backdrop for nurses drawing blood from individuals seeking to assess their glucose and cholesterol levels. Dr Astrid noted that many patients remain unaware of their health complications until it’s too late.
“These two factors — glucose and cholesterol — are commonly checked during a health screening. They generally remain stable, which can be particularly dangerous because people may not experience any symptoms in the initial phases. People often report feeling fine until numerous complications arise,” she said.
Further explanation reveals that by monitoring glucose levels, a person can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
“When there is a high level of glucose in the body, it can lead to diabetes mellitus, characterised by insulin resistance. Therefore, early detection is crucial, as potential complications can affect both the macrovascular and microvascular systems of the body.”
Macrovascular complications encompass conditions such as coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart-related problems, and peripheral vascular disease, where the arteries become clogged, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply to the limbs and potentially leading to amputation in severe cases.
Meanwhile, Dr Astrid described microvascular complications as those that affect the retina (eyes), renal (kidney functions), and neuropathy (loss of sensations).
As for the risk of an increased level of cholesterol, the resident doctor shared that it can lead to atherosclerosis — clogging of the arteries (blood vessels) of the heart.
“It can lead to heart attack or stroke,” she added.
Importance of early detection
With early health detection, “prevention is better than cure” is a phrase that the doctor emphasised resoundingly. As our body’s condition changes, it is important to undergo regular medical check-ups to understand our body’s baseline.
“Some conditions in our body result from the cumulative effects of dietary choices and lifestyle changes. Additionally, as we age, our metabolism decreases. To put it in a nutshell, various factors can exacerbate underlying issues, making early detection crucial,” explained the doctor.
Having encountered many patients who were reluctant to undergo medical check-ups, Dr Astrid shared that while understanding our bodies can be daunting, especially with unfavourable results, she believed that it’s never too late to start.
“There are things in life that we can control to a certain degree, there are things that we cannot. For the things that we can control, we should do them well. I always advise people to check their baseline. If it isn’t favourable, it isn’t the end of the world.
“There are always things that can be done. Just discuss with your doctor or your primary care physician to seek the solution that fits at that point in time because no treatment is one size fits all. Each treatment is tailored to a person’s background,” she added.
Aside from understanding the baseline of the glucose and cholesterol levels, Dr Astrid also encouraged others to check for other aspects as well.
“For females, they are prone to anaemia. Apart from that, I also advised patients to check for thyroid because it can change from time to time, especially because it is not so much related to food, but rather to stress that’s hormonal related.”
