...........IUCTT: 2/28/10

Monday, March 1, 2010

Health Care Systems of Malaysia

Health Care Systems of Malaysia

INTRODUCTION

Malaysia is fortunate to have a very comprehensive range of the health services. The Malaysian government is very much committed to its principles of a universal access to high-quality health care in which the local Ministry of Health offers thru wide varieties of nationwide networks of clinics and hospitals. In order to deal with the issue, a tool has been designed called the tele primary care. This method helps the doctors on remote areas to discuss problem cases by tele-consultations with specialists and doctors on hospitals.
The Evolution of Healthcare in Malaysia
The earliest pre-colonial medical cares were confined mostly on those traditional remedies that are evident today on local Chinese, Malays, and some other ethnic group populations. Since its independence way back August of 1957, the different systems of medical care were then transferred from British colonial rules to meet the growing needs of proper health care in Malaysia .At present, Malaysia is divided into two sectors—the public sectors and the private sectors. Healthcare in Malaysia is mainly under the responsibility of the government's Ministry of Health. Malaysia generally has an efficient and widespread system of health care, operating a two-tier health care system consisting of both a government-run universal healthcare system and a co-existing private healthcare system.

Defination

As defined by World Health Organization (WHO), it is a "State of complete physical, mental, and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Health is a dynamic condition resulting from a body's constant adjustment and adaptation in response to stresses and changes in the environment for maintaining an inner equilibrium called homeostasis. Healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical and allied health professions. Malaysia has a very comprehensive range of health facilities. The Malaysian Government is very particular about its principle of a universal access to high quality healthcare through wide varieties of nationwide networks of clinics and hospitals.Healthcare is given due importance in Malaysia. With a rising and aging population, the Government wishes to improve the standards in existing hospitals, building and equipping new hospitals, expansion of polyclinics and improvement in training and telehealth. Malaysia still faces a shortage in the medical workforce, especially the highly trained specialist. Because of this medical care and treatment is available only in the bigger cities. Most of the private hospitals are in the urban areas.

Breast Cancer

What Is Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is cancer that affects the breast. The vast majority of breast cancer occurs in women, although men can develop breast cancer too.

'Cancer' is the name for a group of diseases in which the body's cells are changed in appearance and function. Such abnormal cells can grow out of control and form a mass or 'tumor.' When abnormal cells originate in the breast tissue, the mass is called a breast tumor.
A breast tumor is considered benign if it is limited to a few cell layers and does not invade surrounding tissues or organs. Yet if the tumor spreads to surrounding tissues or organs, it is considered malignant, or cancerous. Carcinoma is the term used to describe most common cancers that arise from epithelial (surface or lining) tissues. By contrast, sarcoma is the term used to define tumors that arise from bone, muscle, fat, or connective tissue.
The breasts are, in essence, a collection of fatty tissue and glands that have been adapted to secrete milk after a woman gives birth. The glands that produce milk are called lobules and the tubes that connect them to the nipples are called ducts. Correspondingly, carcinoma of the breast develops when malignant changes occur in the cells that line the lobules or, more commonly, the ducts.
There are two major types of breast cancer:
lobular carcinoma, and
ductal carcinoma.

They can be either invasive (spreading) or noninvasive (generally known as 'in situ' - confined to the original site). The majority of breast cancers (70% - 80%) arise from the ducts, which make up the bulk of breast tissue. Since lobular and ductal cells are found in the glandular tissues of the upper, central, and outer regions of the breast, this is where most breast cancers occur. Breast tumors rarely arise in the fatty or nonglandular tissues. Such tumors, when they appear, are usually sarcomas.
Cells from the tumor may break away, travel, and grow within other parts of the body. This process is known as metastasis. Breast cancer often metastasizes to sites such as the lung, bone, liver, and brain. If breast cancer is detected at an early stage - for example, before metastasis - it usually can be cured; however, as the disease progresses, the possibility of effective treatment is diminished. Fortunately, though, many breast "lumps" are caused by benign breast diseases that do not spread beyond the breasts and are not life-threatening.
Facts About Breast Cancer:
A diagnosis of breast cancer is alarming, but the good news is that most women recover from it. Improvements in breast cancer detection have helped to limit the harmful potential of this disease. In fact, during the last decade, the majority of breast cancers reported in the U.S. were small, very treatable, early-stage tumors.
Overall, about 83% of women survive breast cancer, as shown by recent 5-year survival statistics. Although these numbers don't guarantee that a person will be in the 'favorable' statistical group, they do show that the likelihood of beating breast cancer is good. If breast cancer is detected and treated in the early stages, the chances of complete recovery are even better.
With the exception of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Recent findings from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) indicate that an American woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer during her lifetime. And the American Cancer Society predicts that about 184,200 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the year 2000.
Breast cancer also can strike men, although cancer of the male breast accounts for only 5% of all diagnosed breast cancers.
Over the last 5 years, patients have benefited from many advances in breast cancer treatment. Breast conservation - the saving of the breast - has increased enormously because of early diagnosis and the widespread use of mammograms (x-rays of the breast). In addition, new anti-cancer drugs such as paclitaxel (Taxol®) and trastuzumab (Herceptin®) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and show promise in the treatment of people with advanced disease.
The progress made in breast cancer detection and treatment is perhaps best reflected by mortality (death rate) figures. U.S. statistics show that breast cancer mortality decreased significantly between 1992 and 1996 - with the largest decline seen in younger women. Therefore, although breast cancer is a major concern among American women, it can be managed successfully. The following sections will explain the causes and treatment of breast cancer, as well as some of the methods used to overcome the far-reaching effects of this disease.