Gaza Death Toll Nears 58,500 As Israel's Destructive War Continues Unabated
A ministry statement said that 93 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 278 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 139,355 in the Israeli onslaught.
'Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,' it added.
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New Straits Times
23 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
'How can we cope?': Doctors and nurses speak out on system at breaking point
KUALA LUMPUR: Severe staff shortage caused by the migration of healthcare workers and burnout among existing staff have pushed nurses to the brink of despair and helplessness, said medical frontliners. A staff nurse who only wanted to be known as Nini, 42, said she started her nursing career at a hospital in Johor in 2005 and was transferred to Kuala Lumpur in 2010. She said the work culture in Kuala Lumpur was different and she hardly had any time for breaks. She is now a senior and is on duty at wards where she has to take care of eight to 12 patients at a time. "Although the World Health Organisation recommends one nurse for every four patients in a general ward, we are doing double the amount and more sometimes when a nurse calls in sick." She said staffing levels had dropped steadily in her ward over the past five years. "This is not new. But these past years, the situation has worsened as more colleagues leave for greener pastures in." Nini now manages her shift with fewer nurses, saying it has caused burnout among her colleagues, especially if there are demanding superiors. "An ex-colleague joined a hospital in Dubai, where she works eight-hour shifts, earns RM12,000 monthly and gets free housing. Two more moved to Singapore and another is in Perth now. They were senior staff. Losing them is a big blow. We're trying to hold the fort, but we are not sure how long we can do it. Patients sometimes blame us when they do not get the care they deserve, but that is not because we don't care. It's because we just physically cannot keep up." In a hospital in Kota Kinabalu, an emergency medical officer who only wanted to be known as Dr Mohamad, 42, said the emergency department was running at almost 200 per cent capacity on some days with fewer than 10 doctors on duty. "We should have at least five medical officers per shift. Some nights, we're down to just three. Imagine one stroke victim, one asthma patient and one road traffic victim. How can we manage? You can't be everywhere. We used to spend 10 to 15 minutes with each patient. Now, it's sometimes three minutes, just enough time to prescribe and move on. We're not proud of it, but this is the reality. I've had three of my closest colleagues leave in the last 12 months. Two to Australia and one to a telehealth firm in the United Kingdom that pays more than double of what he used to earn here. They left because their applications to be relocated to the peninsula were rejected several times." He said doctors wanted to remain in Malaysia, but the Health Ministry must improve the perks, salary and incentives. According to statistics from the Malaysian Medical Association, more than 4,000 healthcare workers, including more than 1,500 nurses and 900 doctors, migrated or entered private practice between 2021 and 2024. The Health Ministry has acknowledged a nationwide shortage of 20,000 nurses and 8,000 doctors, including specialists. And this gap is expected to widen as more resign or retire. A specialist from Klang, Dr Menon, 48, said her unit delivered up to 20 babies a day with increasingly junior and overstretched staff on some days. "We need at least six medical officers per 24-hour cycle to handle these cases safely. Some days, we barely have three medical officers. I'm in the operating theatre for hours, then straight to clinic or ward rounds with no break. One of my best registrars left for Dubai. She told me, 'In one shift, I deliver five babies and get to eat lunch. Here, I would have to deliver 10 babies before I could even go to the toilet'." Dr Menon said one of her most dependable nurses resigned after a decade of service recently. "She went to Singapore. She sent me a voice note last month and said, 'Cikgu, I finally feel like a normal human again'. It broke my heart." She said the workload was not only overwhelming, it was affecting quality of care for patients as well as staff morale. "The system is bleeding and we're using our hands to plug the holes." Asked why she chose to stay despite getting offers abroad, she said her elderly parents and in-laws kept her here. "I'm more concerned about the new generation as it is getting harder to convince the younger ones to stay. They don't see a future here. And without a strong pipeline, we're heading towards collapse." Dr Menon believed that better pay, structured career paths and more specialist training slots could slow down the collapse.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Silent threat of adulterated vapes
THE emergence of adulterated vape products such as K-Pod, reportedly laced with dangerous psychoactive substances like ketamine, marks a disturbing escalation in Malaysia's battle against evolving substance abuse trends, particularly among youths. While it is critical to confront this alarming development, it is equally important to recognise that not all who vape are engaging in drug use. Many individuals, both youth and adults, use vape products legally, some as a means to quit smoking. A broad-brush condemnation of vaping would ignore this nuance and risk driving the issue further underground. Tampered vape liquids are no longer just a health issue; they have become stealthy socially accepted delivery systems for synthetic drugs. Illicit cartridges like K-Pod are discreet, odourless and often flavoured, making them alarmingly accessible and attractive to school and college students. These products represent a multidimensional threat that cuts across public health, enforcement and youth development. Youths are particularly vulnerable due to a combination of curiosity, peer pressure and the false perception that vaping is safer than traditional smoking or drug use. Social media trends, influencer culture and targeted advertising have glamorised vaping, pushing it further into the mainstream. Many young users begin with legal vape products but may unknowingly transition to tampered variants, unaware of the risks until it is too late. Compounding the problem is the ease of access. Vape liquids, whether regulated or adulterated, are widely available online and through unscrupulous local vendors, often without strict age verification. The packaging, often resembling fruity or candy-flavoured items, masks the danger and further appeals to young users. This form of substance abuse operates in a grey zone, where awareness is low and enforcement is inconsistent. Despite recent regulatory reforms, Malaysia's legal framework remains insufficient to deal with the growing complexity of the vape industry. There is no comprehensive ban or regulation on vape liquids, particularly those imported or sold online. Enforcement at the point of sale is sporadic and customs control over vape paraphernalia remains porous. Forensic laboratories are under-equipped and undertrained to test these products rapidly, delaying the detection of tampered vapes in school raids or hospital emergencies. This is a textbook case of enforcement mechanisms struggling to keep pace with innovation in substance abuse. Without a centralised regulatory body, efforts are fragmented, often falling between the Health Ministry, Ministry of Trade and various enforcement agencies, each deflecting responsibility to the other. The result is a policy vacuum that criminals exploit with ease. However, a total ban on vape products would likely create more problems than it solves. Prohibition could drive the market underground, making dangerous products even harder to trace and regulate. It could also penalise legitimate users who rely on vaping as a harm-reduction tool. Moreover, such a move could spark backlash among younger voters and small-business owners, many of whom are part of Malaysia's growing vape retail ecosystem. The better path is not prohibition but precision regulation. To address this crisis effectively, Malaysia must take a multipronged approach. First, a centralised regulatory authority should be established to oversee all aspects of vape-related policy, licensing and enforcement. All vape liquids, especially imported and flavoured variants, must undergo mandatory chemical testing before entering the market. Penalties should be increased for those caught selling adulterated products, particularly in proximity to schools or youth spaces. A coordinated national task force involving the police, health authorities, customs, forensic experts and education officials is also essential. This body should lead targeted enforcement operations and design culturally relevant awareness campaigns tailored to youths, parents and educators. We must meet young people where they are on social media, in schools and within peer groups with accurate information and credible messengers. The spread of adulterated vapes reflects deeper systemic weaknesses. Malaysia's porous borders, enforcement inconsistencies and black-market economy all contribute to the ease with which dangerous synthetic substances enter the country. Institutional corruption, gaps in inter-agency coordination and an outdated education system have further compounded the problem. These vulnerabilities must be addressed not just to combat the vape crisis but to strengthen national resilience more broadly. Importantly, we must also acknowledge the emotional and social drivers behind youth vaping. For many young people, vaping represents more than a habit; it is a form of silent rebellion, identity formation or emotional escape. Disillusionment with authority, academic pressures and the lack of mental health support are all part of the ecosystem that makes these products appealing. Addressing the issue requires compassion as well as control. Malaysia's continued delay in implementing decisive vape regulation raises serious concerns. Economic interests, political hesitation and regulatory inertia have all played a role. But the cost of inaction can be steep. What we risk is not just a public health crisis but the quiet grooming of a new generation into synthetic drug dependence right under our noses. In conclusion, adulterated vape products represent a clear and present danger to Malaysia's youth. However, demonising all vape use or rushing into a blanket ban may do more harm than good. Instead, we must pursue a balanced, evidence-based approach that emphasises regulation, enforcement, education and support. Only through such a strategy can we protect our youths, uphold public health and preserve societal stability in the face of this rapidly evolving threat. Datuk Dr. P. Sundramoorthy is a criminologist at the Centre for Policy Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Comments: letters@
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Scarred by war, failed by blockade
HAMZA Abu Shabab cringed in pain as his mother pulled off his shirt and eased his bandaged head back onto his pillow so she could apply ointment to his small, burned body. The seven-year-old suffered third degree burns across his head, neck and shoulders when, frightened by an Israeli airstrike, he spilled a hot plate of rice and lentils onto himself in his family's tent in southern Gaza. His recovery has been slowed by Israel's blockade that bars all medicine, food, fuel and other goods from entering Gaza. His burns have become infected – the boy's immune system is weakened by poor nutrition and supplies of antibiotics are limited, said his mother, Iman Abu Shabab. 'Had there not been a siege or it was a different country, he would have been treated and cured of his wounds,' she said at her son's bedside in Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. Israel's blockade has forced hospitals and clinics across Gaza to stretch limited stocks of medicines even as needs increase. For burn patients, the lack of supplies is particularly excruciating. Burns are painful and susceptible to infection, but hospitals are short on painkillers, anaesthetics, dressings and hygiene materials, said Julie Faucon, the medical coordinator for Gaza and the occupied West Bank with Doctors Without Borders. Layan sitting despondently among her dolls at Nasser hospital with second-degree burns on her face, foot and stomach, caused a week earlier during an Israeli army strike on her home in Khan Yunis, Gaza. — AP Since Israel resumed bombardment across Gaza in mid-March, the number of patients with strike-related burns coming into Nasser Hospital has increased five-fold, from five a day to 20, according to Doctors Without Borders, which supports the facility. The burns are also bigger, covering up to 40% of people's bodies, Faucon said. Some patients have died because burns impacted their airways and breathing or because they developed severe infections, she said. While strikes are a main cause of burns, people also seek treatment for accidents, such as spilling hot liquids. That is in part due to the squalid living conditions, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians squeezed into tents and crowded shelters, often cooking over woodfires. Hamza was one of more than 70 patients in Nasser Hospital's burns and orthopaedic ward – as many as it could hold – with more streaming in for daily care. His mother said Hamza has undergone nine surgeries, including four on his face. The hospital ran out of the liquid painkillers used for children, and he struggles to swallow the larger pills, she said. In another room, four-year-old Layan Ibrahim Sahloul sits despondently among her dolls, with second-degree burns across her face, foot and stomach. A strike on her house in Khan Yunis killed her pregnant mother and two siblings, burying her under the rubble. Layan has difficulty moving and has become withdrawn and in a constant state of fear, said her aunt, Raga Sahloul. She also suffers from malnutrition, she said. 'I am scared it will take her months instead of weeks to heal,' said her aunt. Iman standing near Hamza, who lies in bed with third-degree burns caused when he was frightened by an Israeli airstrike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza. — AP The number of malnourished children has swelled under Israel's blockade, with aid groups warning that people are starving. Without proper nutrition, patients' recovery is slowed and their bodies can't fight infection, say health professionals. At the meeting of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security Cabinet recently, which decided to expand operations in Gaza, ministers were told that 'at this point, there is enough food in Gaza', without elaborating. according to two Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the meeting. Israel claims its blockade and renewed military campaign aim to pressure Palestinian resistance group Hamas to release the remaining hostages it holds and to accede to Israel's demands that it disarm. Rights groups have said the blockade is a 'starvation policy' and a potential war crime. The United Nations has warned that Gaza's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by casualties with essential medicines running out. Doctors say they're also worried about prospects for long-term care for burn patients. Many need reconstructive surgery, but few plastic surgeons remain in Gaza. Israel has increasingly rejected entry for international medical staff, aid workers say, though some continue to have access. At the end of April, 10-year-old Mira al-Khazandar was severely burned on her arms and chest when a strike hit near her tent. Worried that she will have permanent scars, her mother combs pharmacies looking for ointments for her. Mira has been able to return to the family's tent to recover, but she suffers from the sand and mosquitoes there, said her mother Haneen al-Khazandar. She has to go regularly to the hospital, which risks infecting her burns and causes her pain, standing under the sun waiting for transport. 'She is recovering slowly because there is no treatment, no medicines and no food,' she said. 'She is tired, she can't sleep all night because of the pain... Even after I give her medicine, it doesn't help.' — AP
