Mushrooming of medical schools due to lack of foresight, says PSM chief
PSM chief says the government must take the blame for what he called a “messy situation” that resulted from its decision 20 years ago to start licensing too many medical schools.
Niaga AWANI: Wakeup Call | Brain drain is only a symptom
We speak to President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) EMIR Research, Dr Rais Hussin on brain drain phenomenon.
/i
Brain Drain - Malaysia
Cause for concern: Dr Noor Hisham said the migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star
Migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
PETALING JAYA - Malaysia’s healthcare sector is not the only one facing a brain drain as other skilled sectors are facing the same problem, top officials say, as they responded to comments by a leading academic that the country’s top university loses at least 30 of its best medical graduates to Singapore every year.
New Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said the brain drain is definitely a loss, but insisted that the right skills be inculcated to ensure that Malaysians continue to receive the highest quality services.
She said she was aware of the recommendations of the Human Resources for Health Strategy of her predecessors, including on the recruitment of doctors, improving the quality of training with clearer career pathways and improving their working conditions.
Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Friday: “The issue of brain drain cuts across the workforce. It’s across all specialities, not only in the medical field.”
On complaints by medical students of poor working conditions, bullying, low wages, as well as inadequate training and career opportunities, he said there was no guarantee that migration would stop even if these issues ceased.
He said the migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors.
“Singapore’s currency is three times better than ours. Many Johoreans cross over to work in Singapore, so can the same argument be used?
“Even Singapore’s healthcare system has a similar issue with its citizens migrating elsewhere like to Australia,” he added.
The issue of brain loss was raised on Thursday by Professor Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who said the top college, Universiti Malaya, loses at least 30 of its best and brightest medical graduates to Singapore every year.
The professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Universiti Malaya’s medical faculty said in a tweet on Thursday that the brain drain will continue if nothing is done to address issues such as a lack of clear training and career pathways for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals
A male nurse working in Singapore told The Star that working in the Republic provided him the opportunity to gain wider experience.
“Singapore practises international standards and if I want to find jobs in Australia, New Zealand or even the United Kingdom, it will be easy for me,” he said, adding that nurses in Singapore undergo procedure competency courses frequently.
Malaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said the government needed to take steps to provide better career prospects in terms of career advancement and remuneration.
“Better pay is among the main reasons the junior doctors are leaving to work abroad. It doesn’t help that the cost of living has gone up in the country.
“Issues such as the contract system, permanent positions and even burnout need to be resolved or doctors will lose hope in the system and leave for greener pastures,” he said on Friday.
National Association of Human Resources Malaysia president Zarina Ismail, who runs a recruitment agency, said her firm found employment for qualified Malaysians such as nurses, doctors, lecturers and oil and gas professionals to work overseas.
“Many of the nurses say they don’t make enough here to have any savings at the end of the month.
“That is why they choose to look for jobs in countries like Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, where they can earn RM12,000 (S$3,700) monthly,” she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Holiday fitness hacks
The festive season usually means diets and workouts are out the window, but to assuage your guilt, try these tips to moderate the eating and get a little exercise in.
Chewingum g can actually help reduce food cravings and appetite, so pop some in after you’ve eaten enough at the party.
— AFP
ONCE again, Christmas is here.
Your diet and workout may go out the window today, but never mind; it’s a day to find some merriment to light up your heart.
Even if you’re not celebrating Christmas, everyone can savour the holiday and hope that present troubles will pass.
As Malaysians, no doubt the first thing we want to do is get together and feast today – and this activity will probably continue until 2023 rings in.
Excessive eating is one of the main reasons for the additional weight gain, but it is also due to lack of physical activity and exercise.
After bingeing on good food and drinks, we feel guilty and sign up for gym memberships – a new year, a new start.
That’s what we’d like to believe anyway! But, instead of going downhill speedily, why not put your brakes on and glide steadily down the slope for a softer landing?
Try these useful tips to stay fit this holiday season.
Eat before heading out
There will be plenty of parties, dinners, lunches and gatherings, even if they are small ones.
So, eat something before leaving home so that you won’t be tempted to overeat there.
Some people prefer to skip their meals for the day to enjoy the festive spreads later, but that only means you will be enticed to eat more and thwart your digestion.
Foregoing meals actually leads to faster weight gain.
If you have a lot of invitations, eat smaller meals and chew food well.
Remember, the slower you eat, the faster you’ll feel full.
Fill up on salads and veggies
Chances are, if you are at a big party, there will be a variety of dishes to choose from.
Fill up at least half your plate with salads (minimise the dressing) and veggies (potatoes don’t count) as these choices contain very few calories and sugar.
Also, sit further away from the food, especially desserts, so that you have to get up and walk to get second or third helpings. Every little walking step counts!
It also helps prevent you from continuing to pick at a certain food just because it is in front of you.
Load up on water
Drink a lot of water to satiate your appetite and keep hydrated.
It will also prevent a possible hangover if you go overboard with the alcohol.
A dry mouth and a nagging headache are classic symptoms of dehydration.
As a rule of thumb, experts recommend drinking one full glass of water for every alcoholic beverage that you consume.
Bear in mind to drink moderately, and if you’re driving, definitely stick to non-alcoholic beverages.
If you do have one too many alcoholic beverages, have a glass of warm water with lemon or a green tea the next morning.
This will help to activate your system and begin any detoxification process needed.
Also, just prior to going out, have something like some yoghurt and a banana – the protein contained in them slows down stomach digestion, and the potassium will assist in balancing out any salty foods that might exacerbate dehydration.
Many Christmas treats and snacks are full of salt or sugar, which tends to throw your metabolism completely out of balance (including when it come to alcohol), so nibble instead of gobble.
Chew gum after meals
If you chew gum after tucking into your meal, that minty fresh taste and the action of chewing will help you avoid going back for more helpings, even if you’re still hungry.
A few small studies have shown that chewing gum can help reduce cravings and appetite, as well as shave calories.
Research conducted by the University of Rhode Island, United States, found that people who chewed gum every day consumed 68 fewer calories and did not bingeeat later.
Plus, gum chewers actually burned about 5% more calories than non-gum chewers.
Go ahead, chew gum when you have the urge to snack and right after your meals to prevent mindless munching.
However, note that chewing gum can also lead to swallowing air, which can cause bloating, so if you are prone to getting “wind” in your tummy, ignore this tip.
Get out of the house
Fret not if you don’t receive any invitations this year as many are struggling to make ends meet.
Allocate time for family and perhaps plan some outdoor activities that do not involve costs.
Maybe a hike in the forest, a picnic in the park, a frolic in the playground or a walk about town – if the weather permits.
All these will help burn calories while keeping the children entertained.
Squeeze in some strength training
Staying active and maintaining a semblance of an exercise routine may seem like an impossible task with a calendar full of holiday parties and family obligations. But it can be done.
Plan to exercise in the morning before starting your day, when there are minimal distractions.
To maintain the muscle mass that you’ve worked so hard to build, perform your strength-training exercises as you can burn just as many calories as a cardiovascular workout in a shorter span of time.
No weights?
No problem, just use your own bodyweight – 20 minutes daily or every other day is enough during this period.
Here are some examples of exercises you can do:
> One-minute jumping jacks and/or marching on the spot with knees high (to warm up).
> Twenty parallel squats.
> Twenty walking lunges.
> A one-minute plank.
> Ten push-ups.
> Twenty bicycle crunches.
> Twenty tricep dips.
> Twenty duck squats (with legs separated and feet turned out).
Opting for meat dishes at the parties and buffets might even mean you will gain some extra muscle – definitely much better than gaining some extra fat!
So, stay healthy, indulge a little bit, keep your face masks on in crowded areas, and as Ella Fitzgerald would sing, Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
See you next year!
RevMathi urugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com. my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
The Star Malaysia 25 Dec 2022REVATHI MURUGAPPAN starhealth@thestar.com.my
Making a reasonable argument is not a term in Washington's dictionary in the China-US power game.
Ned Price, US state department spokesperson, said on Monday that the US hopes China can address the current COVID-19 outbreak as "the toll of the virus is of concern to the rest of the world given the size of China's GDP, given the size of China's economy."
His remarks aren't surprising at all. Washington has been putting and will go on to put all of China's policies and measures under the prism of China-US competition. That means the wordings of the US side will be all about shaping an international atmosphere that benefits only the US.
When China's role in the global economy is mentioned, some very recent examples can be cited. In the just-concluded World Cup, products made in Yiwu, China's small commodity hub, have accounted for nearly 70 percent of the market share of World Cup merchandise, ranging from national flags, soccer balls to jerseys, according to the Yiwu Sports Goods Association. Made-in-China products, including but not limited to projectors and leggings, injected vigor into Black Friday, a traditional shopping bonanza in the West that kicked off on November 25, reports show. Last but not the least, the US announced in late November that it will extend its tariff exclusions for some Chinese medical products for an additional three months in order to co
ntinue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Responding to Price's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that in the past three years, China's COVID policy has provided maximum protection to people's lives and health, minimized COVID's impact on socioeconomic development, and bought precious time for understanding the virus on the basis of science, for research and development of vaccines and therapeutics, and for vaccinating more people across the country. We have achieved the most effective results at minimum cost.
Washington does not have a say in China's influence on the world economy. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said earlier this month that recalibrating COVID policies "can be very good for the Chinese people and economy, and also good for Asia and the world economy." Morgan Stanley raised its forecast for China's GDP in 2023 to 5.4 percent from its previous outlook of 5 percent, predicting that a rebound in activity will come earlier and be sharper than expected.
China is the only country that has earnestly fought the battle against COVID with strict measures for three years, unlike the US, which had given up fighting the virus long long ago. Just because China has taken the lead in reining in COVID, it is able to resume businesses and production in an efficient manner. In 2020, China was the only major world economy to grow in that pandemic-ravaged year. In 2021, China's GDP was $17.7 trillion, accounting for 18.5 percent of the global total.
In an interview with the Global Times, Sean Doherty, head of International Trade and Investment and member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum, said that China shows tactical resilience in maintaining flexible supply chains amid the pandemic, while describing China as a role model in facilitating trade domestically and a leading power in the WTO's investment facilitation discussions.
However, it's another story in the US. Washington wasted no time politicizing the virus, launched an ideological warfare and divided the world when unity was badly needed the most amid the global public health crisis.
When the US needs to boost its economy, it tends to turn to unlimited quantitative easing, referred to as printing money wildly, which is aimed at attracting inflows of financial capital. But when its measures led to high inflation, which has been especially severe during the pandemic, the US starts to raise its interest rates, time and again. The aim is to make the US dollar stronger, attract investment capital from investors abroad seeking higher returns on American bonds and interest-rate products. But for other countries, the endless interest rate hikes are making it more and more expensive to service their dollar-denominated debts, causing currency depreciation and worsening inflation on their own soil. With the kits, like quantitative easing and raising interest rates, in its tool box, the US has been reaping benefits and wealth from the world.
This is the truth: When China makes contributions to the world economy during the pandemic, Washington is busy making deliberate transfer of wealth from the world to the US.
Despite Price's rhetoric, the world will see which side has been the problem. If Price does cares about the world economy, he should have advised the White House to restrain itself when disrupting global supply chains and provoking conflicts and even wars.
People celebrate the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China, in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, on July 1, 2021. Photo: VCG
A survey released on Saturday at the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference showed that more than 62 percent of participants around the globe believe that China's influence is rising, double the number that believes the US' influence is rising, and more people expect that the China-US tension is likely to turn into "conflict" rather than "easing."
On shared global issues, concerns over inflation, war, energy and the food security crisis have surpassed concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, with analysts saying the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the following serious impact to the world economy have brought more urgent problems and impending dangers to the world, while most countries and people are showing less worry toward the impact brought by the pandemic, which is into its third year, as the virus has become less harmful.
The survey is released annually and conducted by the Global Times Research Center. This year, from October 29 to December 6, the survey which covered 30 questions related to China-US relations, global security and development, received more than 36,000 effective samples from 33 countries all over the world including China, the US, Russia, France, the UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan, India, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and South Korea.
Analysts said the survey reflects that the world welcomes and has strong confidence in China's development and Chinese modernization, even though the US and some of its allies are trying to spread the China threat theory, still more and more people are losing faith in the US and globalization that is dominated by US hegemony.
Which is more influential?
On the question "How has the US or China's international influence changed in the recent year?" more than 30 percent among all participants worldwide believe the US' influence is rising, while a similar number of participants believe the US' influence is declining. More than 62 percent believe China's influence is rising.
In countries like Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Austria, Poland and India, more people believe that the US' influence is rising rather than declining. In the US, 32 percent of participants believe their country's international influence is rising while another 32 percent believe the US' influence is declining, while 56 percent believe China's influence is rising.
"Judging from real national strength, the US still has the upper hand in terms of military, economy and science and technology, but if viewing 'international influence' from a perspective of being a leader to represent values shared by humanity, or the popularity and favorability among other countries, the US' influence is certainly decreasing," Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University told the Global Times.
Lü Xiang, an expert on international relations and research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times there are two main reasons why the majority of the participants worldwide believe China's influence is rising - first, China's sustainable and fast development as well as the powerful national strength are most convincing evidence; second, China's ideas for global development and security have been accepted well worldwide.
China's principles of not seeking hegemony and non-interference, as well as standing with developing countries forever, have been set very long ago. When China was a weak and undeveloped country, other countries did not really care about what China said, according to the expert. Today China has become a major world power with undoubted national strength, and more and more countries have found that China keeps its promise of not seeking hegemony, Lü said.
The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative have continually brought benefits and development to China's partners worldwide, comparing the destructions and instabilities caused by the US hegemony around the globe, it's very natural for the countries around the globe to be more favorable on China's rising influence, Lü noted.
Although more people in African countries like Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria, as well as some European countries like Poland and Austria believe the US' influence is rising rather than declining, the vast majority in these countries (from 56 percent in Poland and 70 percent in Austria, to 78 percent in South Africa and 76 percent in Kenya) also firmly believe that China's influence is rising.
For China's rising international influence, Shen said it could be interpreted from two perspectives. One is that countries around the world do have a better impression about China and they hope China will play more important roles in the future as they have benefited from ties with China, or they want China to be more powerful to balance the negative impacts brought by US hegemony, Shen said.
But in some Western countries, especially the US' allies that follow Washington closely, the reason why they believe China's influence is rising is because of the long-existing hyping of the "China threat" theory in their countries, and they are afraid of the rising influence of China as US propaganda tries to shape an aggressive image of China around the globe, Shen noted.
"The US is not in its prime of life, no longer the protagonists of Hollywood action movies who are handsome, elegant, quick in action and reaction. Today's US is like 'a mafia boss in his later years who can barely walk but still holds particularly large power among the gangsters. Today, the US' position is largely determined by the system it built long ago," said Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China.
China-US relations
The survey also shows that the world is concerned about China-US tension. More of the participants in 19 countries, including the US, expect China-US relations to "maintain the status quo."
In China and the US, the survey results show that 45 percent of Chinese participants expect the China-US tension to ease, and 39 percent expect to maintain the status quo, but only 11 percent in the US expect the two sides will see an easing of tensions in the future, and 44 percent of American participants expect the status quo to remain unchanged.
Lü said China does not have an anti-US propaganda now, while all news reports about China-US relations are objectively introducing the facts and also trying to guide the public to understand the China-US relations based on good will. "But in America, the two major parties are trying their best to make China look like an enemy," and to use Sinophobia to cover their incompetence in internal affairs.
"If you read US mainstream media, you will see their reports are hyping and inciting conflict between the US and China every day, whether in politics or the economy, so US politicians and media should be held accountable for the worsening China-US ties that make the world concerned," Lü noted.
Among the samples collected from the 33 countries, 23 percent of them believe that the most likely cause of a potential conflict between China and the US is that "China imposes more retaliation against the US," about 22 percent believe it would be "troublemaking by Taiwan secessionists" and 19 percent consider it would be "the US strengthening its containment strategy against China."
Chinese analysts said it seems like the most realistic task for China and the US in the future is to keep managing their differences and competition to keep the current situation from losing control, and it would be very difficult to completely ease tensions in the short term.
The US elites should be aware of the danger of China-US conflict, especially on sensitive affairs like the Taiwan question, and to what extent the two major powers can avoid conflict depends on the US' attitude toward China. If the US stops its containment strategy, China does not need to retaliate the US at all, experts stressed.
Future globalization
The survey result also shows that the world is increasingly worried about the danger of conflict between the two biggest economies, while most participants around the globe believe that the world needs to find a new or better way to develop globalization. Chinese interviewees are very confident in "achieving satisfactory globalization in the next 10 years" and they are less concerned than other countries' participants on the problems like "war," "prices rising" and "food and energy crises."
Experts said this shows that China has protected Chinese people well when the world is suffering from the turbulence in recent years, so Chinese people have sensed less negative impacts of the current globalization. This also proves that China is qualified to share its wisdom and experiences to the world to overcome common challenges, and the people around the globe expect China to be more active in providing public goods to reform the problematic world order.
China will eye rapid economic growth next year, said economists when attending the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference
UN biodiversity deal adopted at COP15 at watershed moment
Pushing forward deal highlights China’s leading role in preserving biodiversity: experts
Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu (centre-rignt), Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, David Ainsworth (centre-left), Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (2nd right) and Inger Andersen Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (right) during a plenary meeting at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference, known as COP 15, in Montreal, Canada on Monday. Photo: AFP
Nearly 200 countries adopted a landmark deal set to reverse environmental destruction and preserve global biodiversity over the next decades at a marathon UN biodiversity summit on Monday.
The successful adoptionof the deal, under China's presidency, signals the country's leading role and commitment in converging and pushing forward global efforts in protecting the world's biodiversity at a watershed moment, said experts.
Now that the targets have been set, what matters most is whether nations follow through, said experts. The thorniest issue is still finance, and experts have called for this burden to fall largely on developed countries, which are equipped with technology and funds to help developing countries.
A UN biodiversity deal, entitled Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and aimed at reversing biodiversity loss and setting the world on the path to recovery, was adopted on Monday at the UN biodiversity conference, COP15, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.
"The package is adopted," Chinese Environment Minister Huang Runqiu, the chair of the COP15 nature summit, declared at a late-night plenary session in Montreal as he struck his gavel, sparking loud applause from assembled delegates, the AFP reported.
The framework sets the target of effective conservation and management of at least 30 percent of the world's lands, inland waters, coastal areas and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services, according to the final release the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity sent to the Global Times on Monday.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework prioritizes ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories and practices. Currently 17 percent and 10 percent of the world's terrestrial and marine areas respectively are under protection, according to the release.
It also called for the progressive phasing out or reform by 2030 of subsidies that harm biodiversity by at least $500 billion per year, while scaling up positive incentives for biodiversity's conservation and sustainable use. The scheme is set to raise international financial flows from developed to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, small island developing states, and countries with economies in transition, to at least $20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least $30 billion per year by 2030.
After the adoption, EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius tweeted, "DEAL Tonight, we make history at#COP15. The Kunming-Montreal deal for Nature & people all over the world. 30% degraded ecosystems on land & sea to be restored by 2030;30% terrestrial & marine areas conserved & managed by 2030."
A statement the UN Development Programme (UNDP) sent to the Global Times on Monday said it welcomes the historic agreement reached at COP15."This agreement means people around the world can hope for real progress to halt biodiversity loss and protect and restore our lands and seas in a way that safeguards our planet and respects the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities," reads the statement.
The agreement reached today in Montreal is a significant breakthrough for biodiversity. It reflects never-before-seen recognition from countries at all income levels that biodiversity loss must be stopped through high-ambition changes to our society's relationship with nature and the way our global economy operates. It also reflects a determination from political leaders around the world to make this happen, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility, said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Monday.
After four years of negotiations and 12 years since the last biodiversity targets were agreed in Japan, the Chinese president ofCOP15put forward its recommendations for a final agreement after two weeks of intense negotiations among 196 countries.
Reaching a consensus on global environment issues, such as protecting biodiversity and climate change, were never easy, as nations' interests on those topics always conflicted, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Monday.
"That is why China put forward such a draft that had won wide applause among delegates from so many countries," said Lin. "This can be seen as a remarkable first step toward global biodiversity protection for the next decades, and this has highlighted China's leading role in this field."
Implementation matters
Speaking at a Saturday conference, Huang admitted that the most challenging remaining divergences lie in the financial mechanisms, resource mobilization and the goals of the framework. "Targeting these three problems, we have invited minister-level officials from Rwanda, Chile, Egypt, Germany, Norway and Canada, and have set up three coordination working groups," Huang said.
The final release said by 2030 at least $200 billion per year in domestic and international biodiversity-related funding from all sources - public and private are to be mobilized.
Developing countries previously pushed for half of that̶$100 billion per year̶to flow from wealthy countries to poorer nations, Reuters reported on Sunday.
Lin pointed out that the proposed targets show China's ambition and pragmatism in pushing forward a workable scheme, as setting the financial targets too high may backfire as many developed countries may refuse to pay.
"Setting up an agreement is for everyone to work on. Yet judging by developed countries' blustery promises on climate issues, whether they will pay the money on biodiversity remains questionable, so the final release lowered the target for developed countries to pay at least $20 billion per year by 2025," said Lin.
The developed countries still haven't fulfilled their pledge of providing $100 billion per year for developing countries to tackle climate damage.
Developing nations have limited capacity to achieve goals set at the current stage, thus the financing onus falls largely on those developed countries that have the technology and money to help, said Lin.
Huang Runqiusaid at a conference last week that the most important factor for a successful COP15 is reaching a framework of protecting biodiversity. What kind of framework is successful depends not only on how much we have agreed, but also how much we will realize, said Huang.
As presidency of the conference, China hopes that all the goals and promises are acceptable to all participants, and will endure the test of time, said the Chinese environment minister. He hoped that both developed and developing countries will feel they have fulfilled their promises by 2030, and only those goals and promises can be counted as a real success.
Xinhua file photo of a B-52 strategic bomber After a series of failures, the US Air Force on Monday nnounced that it has finally succe...
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Whether it’s treating phobias, rehabilitating patients or raising safety standards, virtual reality has become a terrific tool for overcoming the obstacles posed by the real world.
Vr makes it practical to enact scenarios that would be impossible or too expensive to do in real life, reducing hassle for users while also cutting costs and saving time. The pods blast air and physically move in multiple directions to make the Vr experience more immersive. — 123rf.com
— Photos: angelin yeoh/the Star
IMAGINE you are flying on a plane when the sky grows dark, the weather becomes increasingly turbulent, the plane starts to shake, and your seat rattles violently.
While it would be distressing for anyone, it could be too much to handle for someone with a fear of flying.
However, putting them in such a situation under the supervision of a specialist may help them overcome their phobias.
Tanjina Ashraf Khan, CEO and founder of Mentcouch, a psychology centre in Kuala Lumpur, calls it exposure therapy and recommends it for those who want to overcome their extreme sense of fear over an object or situation.
She says that as they work with a therapist to learn how to deal with their anxiety, they will be gradually exposed to their phobias.
“What we want to see during the sessions is the person developing less anxiety toward their fears. We start with a scale of one to 10.
“At the beginning, they may rate their anxiety level as nine. When it gets to a six, that is progress,” she shares.
However, she says exposure therapies are difficult to conduct physically. For example, if a client has a fear of snakes or cockroaches, it’s not realistic to bring those elements into the room.
Enacting certain scenarios, such as getting on a plane, could also be costly.
“It could also be unsafe for the client if they suffer from severe panic attacks on the plane. We may have to request an emergency landing,” Mentcouch managing director Justin Kung adds.
This was the impetus for using virtual reality – just by putting on a VR headset, a person can be “transported” to a different place or situation safely.
“Most importantly, we can assure them that they are in control,” Tanjina says.
She explains that clients typically spend up to 30 minutes in VR while being monitored on a computer by a trained therapist.
Kung says: “We can communicate with them by giving visual commands. This way, they can stay immersed in the environment without too much outside interference.”
Mentcouch counsellor Syahirah Husna says: “We will typically take a break for 10 minutes and assess their anxiety level and talk about relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
“When they are ready to continue, they can practise the techniques they’ve learned in their chosen environment.”
Apart from overcoming phobias, Mentcouch is using VR as part of its therapy for stress relief, in which an individual would be guided through techniques like muscle relaxation in a soothing virtual environment like a beach or forest.
“Some people have trouble concentrating during therapy, as they will be stressed thinking about work or what the traffic will be like when it’s time to go home,” she says, adding that such sessions will help them become more mindful and calm.
Kung agrees, saying, “They feel that with VR, less effort is required to help them relax.”
Raising the bar
Over at Taman Desa in KL, chartered physiotherapist Lian Yunperng is using VR as part of physiotherapy treatments, describing the virtual world as a “form of distraction from pain”.
“We recommend this specifically for people recovering from a stroke or those who may be living with chronic pain.
“They may find it difficult to lift an object due to their condition, so we help them achieve upper-limb movement by practising using VR,” says Lian, who owns and operates Ace Physiotherapy.
Lian starts a session by securing the headset for the patient and adjusting the focus so they can see clearly. Patients are not required to walk and will largely be sitting down.
“I will be guiding them throughout the process as I can view what they are seeing on my smartphone.
“The sensors will track their hands and they will be able to perform movements such as picking up an object like a stone or throwing a ball in the virtual environment,” he says.
They may also be tasked with completing a block puzzle. It starts off with three blocks, with the number of blocks and complexity increasing as the patient progresses.
Each VR session typically lasts about 10 to 15 minutes and after undergoing training for three months, Lian will measure patients’ progress by checking their muscle power.
“For severely debilitated patients, we hope to see improvements, including being able to perform movements such as making a fist, moving their fingers or lifting their wrist,” he says.
Lian first integrated VR as part of his physiotherapy services back in 2019 – while exploring ways to improve his services, he stumbled upon a crowdfunding campaign for a VR headset.
“The product was geared for gaming, but I was inspired by the possibilities and started to look into how I could use VR for rehab,” he says.
He eventually decided to go with Oculus after testing several products and finding apps that he felt would be suitable for his physiotherapy plan.
“The headset is light and portable. I don’t need cables (it uses a rechargeable battery) or to carry extra equipment such as monitors.
“I can get it ready in 10 minutes by using my phone and not waste my patient’s time,” he says.
Lian is careful not to introduce VR to patients without first assessing their suitability.
“They must not have conditions like epilepsy or severe balance issues. If they feel dizzy while using VR, then the treatment will cease,” he says.
The feedback for incorporating VR as part of the physiotherapy treatment has been encouraging, saysLian, adding that most patients were open to it.
“They get to try something new and there’s a fun element to it,” he says.
Training tech
Fun is the last thing on the minds of workers at the Genting Tunnel East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) construction site in Bentong, Pahang, as they have to be on their toes to stay safe and minimise risks.
“Safety is a priority for everyone. It is compulsory to attend safety training due to the exposure to various types of hazards,” says Datuk Osman Haron, the health, safety and environment director for China Communications Construction ECRL, the main contractor for the ECRL project owned by Malaysia Rail Link (MRL).
To improve and enhance safety awareness levels at the site, the company said it set up a VR Safety Experience Hall to allow its workers to learn about safety in a more immersive environment.
It has two VR safety experiences, the first being a VR pod that simulates the experience of a fast-moving vehicle.
In a demo, the pod simulated a bumpy cart ride with tight turns and steep slopes in a snowy mountain that was made more real by its ability to blast air and physically move in multiple directions.
“There are trainings to simulate car crashes and falling from great heights. The experiences are meant to serve as reminders to workers to always perform safety checks when on site and to equip themselves with the required gear,” Osman adds.
The other VR service gives the worker freedom of movement within a designated area, allowing him or her to pick up tools and operate them in a virtual world. Depending on the chosen scenario – it’s claimed to offer up to 100 options, including one that was inspired by real construction tragedies in China – the dangers they face will be different.
Workers may find themselves operating a crane, only for the hosting cable to snap and injure others, or drilling in a tunnel while standing on an unsteady platform that would break.
After each experience, a pop-up will show the actions that led to the mishap.
For example, in the first scenario, the cable could have snapped because no prior inspection was conducted to ensure all equipment was in order, and in the second, it could be due to workers not wearing safety harnesses and the scaffolding not being built according to safety standards. “
Typically, workers would have to sit through hour-long briefings on safety and they may not retain all the information due to the static setting.
“By experiencing what could happen if they are not aware of precautionary measures with VR, it will be a more beneficial learning experience,” Osman says.
Untapped uses
Osman admits, however, that VR can’t replace all aspects of safety training, as practical experience is still an important aspect.
For example, workers have to learn how to operate machinery in real life so that they can feel the “weight” and how objects move in certain weather conditions.
“For some aspects of safety training, we try to find ways to combine it with VR, as it has the advantage of helping workers fully visualise situations,” he says.
He adds that VR also helps to remove constraints such as the need to be in various locations and facilities for training.
“We’ve had issues where training could not be conducted because the trainer was not there.
“But with VR, there is no such issue. We can also upgrade the software with new experiences to keep our workers updated with new safety guidelines when they move to a new site,” he says.
Meanwhile, Tanjina says that with VR “moving fast”, she sees the potential of it being used for online sessions with both the therapist and patient appearing as 3D avatars.
What’s crucial now, she says, is to create more awareness about the benefits of VR and other forms of technology in mental health treatment.
“People were not open to technology being used as part of mental health treatment until the pandemic opened opportunities for people to try online therapy.
“The biggest hurdle is helping more people become aware of the benefits of technology in certain aspects,” she says.
Lian agrees, saying that people have to be more open to trying new forms of tech for physiotherapy treatment.
He claims that robotics, such as an exoskeleton, can be incorporated into rehabilitation therapies, and that an Ai-powered device is being developed to assist stroke patients in performing movements.
“I encourage people to think outside the box and not be limited to what they have learned in university.
“Go to expos and conferences to learn about tech advancements in health. I would also advise them to look into the science and research behind it,” he says.
Osman adds that, in addition to VR, the company is relying on technology such as drones to monitor remote areas that are difficult to access by humans.
“We are closely following the development of technology in various fields to see how it can be implemented.
“Technology is very much an important aspect of what we do,” he says.
