Note: A hyperlink is attached in each headlines for further reading of the original news.
Table of Contents:
1. United Kingdom News 2. Malaysia News
1. United Kingdom News
Headline: ‘A national disgrace’: call to improve medical cannabis access in the UK Date: 8th July 2020 Source: Health Europa Monthly Visitors: 222,570
Summary:
A mother wrote an open letter to the UK Government, urging officials to make medical cannabis accessible to patients.
The mother has a young boy suffering from refractory epilepsy.
To date, the UK's law change in 2018 only resulted in 400 private prescriptions and 2 NHS prescriptions were made.
The aforementioned mother was one of the campaigners for the End Our Pain Campaign.
The Campaign advocates for medical cannabis to be accessible, and raise funds to pay for children's medicine.
However, the Campaign faced setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK government replied to the mother's letter stating there is strong evidence cannabis can 'harm mental, physical health and damage communities'.
The government affirms in its letter that the ability to prescribe medical cannabis is not a political/financial decision, but a medical expert's decision.
A group of scientists produced a medical cannabis white paper to explore how prescribing this medication can be reformed.
2. Malaysia News
Date: 9th July 2020
Source: The Sun Daily
Monthly Visitors: 186,690
Summary:
Since the reopening of Malaysia's medical tourism, foreign patients have been travelling to the country seeking medical treatment.
A Pakistani man who accompanied his father receiving medical treatment stated that Malaysian doctors and nurses treated them well.
They were provided with food and daily change of clothes during their stay.
The Pakistani man also said he received frequent medical updates about his father's condition before passing away.
He also expressed his gratitude that the Malaysian government offered free treatment for COVID-19 migrants like himself.
He revealed that the initial test at a private hospital costs RM 580 each.
Date: 8th July 2020
Source: Code Blue
Monthly Visitors: 1,650
Summary:
The Institute for Health Systems Research (IHSR) commented that local health authorities took a "half glass full" approach to the pandemic.
This approach contributed to the success of flattening the COVID-19 curve.
IHSR elaborated on this approach saying Malaysia was realistic on how it handled the pandemic.
Malaysia was limited in terms of human resources, medical equipment, supplies, etc.
But the country optimised on existing resources to overcome the challenges.
IHSR proudly commented that Malaysia had mobilised its fullest potential in the primary healthcare sector.
Date: 7th July 2020
Source: Malay Mail
Monthly Visitors: 974,670
Summary:
Global consulting firm, McKinsey, wrote an article 'Finding the future of care provisions: The role of smart hospitals'.
The article explains how technologies have altered patient's expectations.
There is increasing demand for healthcare services to be delivered efficiently and in comfortable near-normal settings.
Without significant structural and transformational changes, healthcare systems will struggle to remain sustainable.
Technologies like: AI, robotics, precision medicine, 3D printing, virtual reality, genomics and telemedicine can help meet these challenges.
These medical transformations needed are in line with Malaysia 5.0.
Malaysia 5.0 envisions the usage of both physical and digital worlds (4th Industrial Revolution).
4 Key Trends to Reshape the Healthcare System: - From Disease-centred to Patient-Centred Care - Virtual Healthcare Assistants - Highly Integrated Data and Platforms - Precision Medicine