Latest news with #MoH
Barnama
5 hours ago
- Health
- Barnama
MoH Open To Reclassifying Etomidate Under Dangerous Drugs Act
PUTRAJAYA, July 30 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry (MoH) is open to reviewing the proposal to list 'etomidate' under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 following reports of its frequent abuse, its minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said that based on current clinical practices, the MoH is always ready to carry out evaluations or studies based on evidence presented by any party. Etomidate is currently listed under the Poisons Act 1952. 'Any proposal can be considered, but at the end of the day, I look at the evidence base when evaluating something,' he told a press conference after officiating the 2025 National Health Technology Assessment Conference and the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Health Technology Assessment Section (MaHTAS) here today. Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii had before this urged the government to list etomidate under both the Poisons Act 1952 and the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, citing reports of its fatal effects in Singapore. He said etomidate is an intravenous anaesthetic that has been misused as a recreational substance through vape products, often marketed as 'Kpods'. Kpods is a street term that usually refers to vape pods laced or contaminated with harmful chemicals or synthetic drugs, rather than just regular vape liquids like nicotine or flavoring. In a related development, Dzulkefly said the government is currently reviewing a proposal to ban e-cigarettes or vapes in the country. 'I'm taking note, but I don't want to act hastily. We are taking this very seriously, and it needs to go through a thorough evaluation and consideration of legal and public health impacts,' he said.
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Health
- Borneo Post
Medical association urges MoH to halt Poisons Act amendment
According to Dr Kalwinder, the current language in the Bill is 'overly broad-based'. KUCHING (July 27): The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the Ministry of Health (MoH) and MPs to halt further readings of the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025 until a thorough consultation process has been undertaken. MMA president Dato Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira said the association acknowledged the government's intention of strengthening the enforcement, possibly in response to serious cross-border threats such as drug-smuggling, maritime trafficking or other reasons, which had not been made known. 'However, he argued that if this was the objective, then the reasons must be made clear and the scope of the amendment must be clearly and appropriately defined in the legislation. 'The fact that no consultation was held with medical stakeholders, is a major procedural oversight. 'These are not peripheral changes – they affect the daily operations of thousands of practitioners nationwide,' he said in a statement. According to Dr Kalwinder, the current language in the Bill is 'overly broad-based'. 'Clause 2's inclusion of all police officers as authorised officers and the new Section 31A, which allows the minister to appoint 'any person' without clear qualifications, raises serious concerns about unchecked enforcement power and the potential for disruption to licensed private healthcare facilities including GP (general practitioner's) clinics, mobile services and charity-based health initiatives.' Dr Kalwinder said the MMA was particularly troubled by the expanded definition of 'premises', which could subject legitimate medical facilities to be clumped together with those deemed criminal or non-healthcare related, and thus, subject to similar inspections or enforcement actions. He further pointed out that this would risk not only operational disruptions, but also violations of patients' confidentiality and trust. 'The Act must clearly delineate between enforcement aimed at criminal activity, and regulation of clinical practice. 'Private healthcare facilities are already under the ambit of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586) and enforcement by MoH. 'This should remain as it is,' stressed Dr Kalwinder. Nonetheless, he said MMA remained ready to engage in meaningful dialogue to ensure that public safety and professional integrity would both be protected. amendment lead Malaysian Medical Association Poisons Act
Asia News Network
6 days ago
- Health
- Asia News Network
Bhutan sees climb in TB, HIV, and malaria cases despite strong systems
July 24, 2025 THIMPHU – The Annual Health Bulletin 2025 of the Ministry of Health (MoH) reveals clear patterns in the country's ongoing battle against infectious diseases, with tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and malaria continuing to pose significant public health challenges. Despite robust surveillance and health infrastructure, the data indicate a mixed trend, with some diseases showing concerning increase in reported cases, demanding sustained and strategic interventions. Tuberculosis remains a persistent threat, with the number of reported cases increasing steadily over the last three years. In 2023, Bhutan registered 864 TB cases. This rose to 920 cases in 2024, reflecting a continuing burden despite the country's comprehensive TB control strategy. The National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP) has been instrumental in leading these efforts, ensuring diagnostic and treatment services are accessible even in remote regions. Yet, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), treatment non-compliance, and disease relapse remain significant challenges. In 2024 alone, there were 38 pulmonary TB relapses and 17 extrapulmonary TB relapses. The majority of TB cases in 2024 (65 percent) were pulmonary, with 552 confirmed through bacteriological testing. A substantial proportion occurred in the economically active age group, mirroring the 2023 data, which showed the highest incidence among the 15–24-year demographic, especially females. In 2023, 98 females and 72 males were diagnosed with new pulmonary bacteriologically confirmed TB, with extrapulmonary TB cases also skewing heavily towards younger females. These patterns underscore a need for age- and gender-specific interventions, improved awareness, and strengthened diagnostic coverage, particularly in youth populations. The rise in total TB cases from 809 in 2022 to 920 in 2024 reflects the ongoing struggle to fully contain transmission and the importance of maintaining high-quality treatment adherence and education efforts. HIV/AIDS trends also show a steady rise in new infections. In 2023, 61 new cases were reported, rising to 85 in 2024, bringing the cumulative number of HIV infections since 1993 to 1,020. Deaths attributed to HIV have also increased from 6 in 2023 to 21 in 2024, highlighting the disease's ongoing impact despite the country's commitment to the 95–95–95 UNAIDS targets. As of December 2024, 774 people are living with HIV in Bhutan, with 98 percent of them receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The introduction of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2024 for high-risk groups in Paro and Thimphu marked a progressive step in preventive care. However, the continuous rise in new infections underscores the need to expand such measures nationwide and further strengthen HIV awareness, testing, and treatment adherence. While Bhutan has made significant strides toward malaria elimination, the 2024 data revealed an unexpected and sharp resurgence in cases, rising to 144 from just 18 in 2023 and 6 in 2022. This more than four-fold increase is attributed primarily to a large outbreak across the border in Assam, India. Bhutan's real-time surveillance and containment systems proved effective in localising the impact, with cases confined to border districts. Of the 144 cases, 71 were imported, and 73 introduced, resulting from transmission following cross-border exposure. However, none were indigenous cases, confirming that internal transmission remains effectively controlled. Plasmodium vivax accounted for approximately 95 percent of all infections. The demographic most affected by malaria in 2024 was the 15–49 age group (65 percent), which represents the most mobile and economically active section of the population. Males were disproportionately impacted (73 percent), largely due to their roles in border-related occupations such as forestry, farming, and security. This occupational exposure highlights the importance of targeted malaria interventions for high-risk groups and the need for stronger cross-border coordination to prevent future outbreaks. The absence of indigenous malaria cases supports Bhutan's continued progress toward WHO malaria elimination certification, but the sudden spike in cases in 2024 demonstrates how vulnerable even well-controlled systems remain to regional epidemiological dynamics. The latest data showing rising trends in TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria underscores the need for more targeted and strategic interventions, despite the progress Bhutan has made in tackling these diseases.
Kuwait Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Kuwait Times
MoH highlights achievements, digital services
KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) is committed to delivering world-class specialized medical services in a safe and advanced healthcare environment as part of its strategy to embrace global expertise and invest in training national medical cadres, said ministry spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference held at the Government Communication Center, Dr Al-Sanad reviewed the ministry's latest projects and achievements, including digital service enhancements and expansions in medical infrastructure across Kuwait. He noted that several major projects are already operational or set to open soon, including the Al-Mutlaa Emergency Center, the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Kuwait Cancer Control Center. The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department has also been relocated from Al-Adan Hospital to the newly established Maternity and Childhood Hospital. Al-Sanad highlighted progress on the new Al-Adan Hospital project, comprising nine buildings providing various healthcare services. He elaborated on the ministry's ongoing approach of developing specialized medical cities, such as the Ahmadi and Al-Sabah medical zones, which aim to offer integrated care through clusters of specialized hospitals within specific geographic areas, minimizing patient travel and enhancing healthcare accessibility. Among other key initiatives, Al-Sanad announced the launch of the First Responder Project on July 10. The project features 28 medical units that handled 70 emergency cases during their first week of operation. He described the project as a significant upgrade to Kuwait's emergency response system and a step toward improving response times and care quality. The Visiting Doctors Program continues to expand, with 140 specialists visiting Kuwait to offer high-level medical care and contribute to training local staff. This initiative reflects the ministry's strategy of leveraging international medical expertise while enhancing local capabilities. KUWAIT: Medical experts and participants are pictured during the press conference. Ministry spokesperson Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said the Ministry of Health is committed to delivering world-class specialized medical services in a safe and advanced healthcare environment as part of its strategy to embrace global expertise and invest in training national medical cadres. – KUNA Further developments include the inauguration of a new MRI wing at Al-Razi Hospital, which doubled diagnostic capacity, and the opening of a medical center at the Nuwaiseeb border crossing. Al-Sanad added that 13 specialized health centers have been established at all border points, and 20 defibrillator devices have been installed at Kuwait International Airport to improve emergency response times for cardiac arrest cases. To support this initiative, a training program has been launched in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure airport staff can effectively use the devices. The ministry's emergency departments handled around 200,000 cases in January 2025 alone, Al-Sanad said, noting that 117 primary care centers operate across the country. Of these, 30 percent are open 24/7, 30 percent operate until midnight on weekdays, 9 percent until midnight daily, and 28 percent close at 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday. In terms of outpatient services, Kuwait currently operates 38 maternity and childhood clinics, 72 mental health clinics, 35 preventive health centers, 20 ophthalmology clinics, and 18 ENT clinics. Emergency medical services responded to 86,860 urgent and non-urgent cases in the first half of 2025. Ambulances transported 72,236 patients, including 50,301 urgent cases, 21,935 non-urgent cases, 5,068 traffic accident victims, and 420 airlifted patients. Another 35 patients were transferred via medical evacuation, and 196 cases were handled at border crossings. Traffic accident reports have also shown a decline since the implementation of the new traffic law in May. The ministry recorded 902 accident cases in January, 903 in February, 908 in March, 889 in April, 753 in May and 701 in June — a reduction of 357 cases in two months. On the digital transformation front, Dr Al-Sanad emphasized that the Ministry is advancing its digital services to streamline healthcare access and reduce patient load at clinics. He said 23 services are now available on the government's 'Sahel' app, benefitting over 338,000 users during the first half of 2025. Since the launch of the ministry's electronic 'Patient' system in October 2023, more than 3.9 million users have accessed digital health services. This shift has helped decrease visits to primary health centers from over 15.5 million in 2022 to 13.2 million in 2024. Efforts in early disease detection are also expanding, with 13,530 women undergoing breast cancer screening since 2023. The number of applicants for early detection reached 1,114 in 2023, 8,141 in 2024, and 4,275 during the first half of this year. The home care program for bedridden patients also continues to grow, with 872 patients receiving care in the first half of 2025. Al-Sanad revealed plans to soon launch home care services for bedridden children as part of ongoing efforts to expand comprehensive healthcare delivery. — KUNA
Observer
21-07-2025
- Health
- Observer
MoH warns against signs of digital addiction during summer holidays
Muscat: The Ministry of Health (MoH) urged families to be vigilant about the excessive use of electronic devices among children during the summer break. It said that such behaviour may signal early signs of digital addiction. In an awareness poster on its official X platform, the MoH listed several behavioural indicators that could point to unhealthy dependence on screens, including frequent mood swings, neglect of social or academic life, and reduced interest in offline activities. Among the most notable warning signs are excessive use of electronic devices, lack of self-control over screen time, and compulsive checking of text messages or notifications, MoH affirmed. The ministry noted that affected individuals may exhibit withdrawal symptom like as anxiety, irritability, or Danger, when not using electronic devices. Other red flags include persistent sleep disturbances, signs of depression, and ongoing stress. The ministry added that children may lose interest in everything unrelated to the internet. Speaking about this issue, Shamsa al Siyabi, a mother of two, said her five-year-old daughter had become addicted to YouTube. However, after following advice to remove the phone from her child's reach, she observed a significant improvement in her daughter's erratic behaviour. Meanwhile, the ministry stressed the importance of balanced digital habits and encouraged parents to actively monitor screen time and promote alternative, non-digital activities to support the healthy development of children. The ministry seeks to promote mental well-being and responsible technology use during school vacations.
