Sunday May 31, 2009
Our guts
It pays to pay more attention to our general digestive health.
MALAYSIA celebrated her first World Digestive Day recently in Kuala Lumpur. In conjunction with the event, we interviewed the president of the Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, consultant gastroenterologist Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, who was organising chairman of the event.
President of the Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, consultant gastroenterologist Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan ... Education in general is one of the important components in managing all kinds of health issues. Can you briefly tell us what the Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (MSGH) is?
The MSGH was set up 16 years ago to promote the art and science of gastroenterology and hepatology, as well as to train doctors and paramedical staff in their respective fields. We have been conducting workshops and scientific conferences on an annual basis to boost the standards of digestive health care in Malaysia.
Why are we celebrating World Digestive Health Day and what are the aims of this celebration?
World Digestive Health Day is commemorated yearly on May 29, and is one of the principal vehicles through which the World Gastroenterology Organisation stimulates worldwide awareness of the promotion of digestive health amongst the public.
As a member of the World Gastroenterology Organisation, the MSGH is proud to be the key organiser of the first ever, World Digestive Health Day in Malaysia! We believe that we need to be responsible for creating awareness on digestive health through education in the community in order to reduce the incidence of digestive health diseases in the country.
As an expert organisation in the field of digestive health, it is our hope to educate the community through the provision of quality and accessible education by working together with other relevant expert organisations to help all Malaysians become more aware of issues relating to digestive health and disease.
What impact do you think the World Digestive Health Day will have on the awareness of gastrointestinal disease and the health of Malaysians in general?
In my opinion, since this is the first ever event in Malaysia, it will definitely bring great awareness to the public about digestive health issues. I think that the public will also benefit much from learning to practise a healthy lifestyle for a healthier digestive system. We also hope that this programme will be impactful in creating awareness on the importance of early detection, thus reducing the incidence of digestive problems in the long run.
Will there be a continuous effort by the society to run World Digestive health Day in the coming years?
Yes, most definitely. We also hope for continuous collaboration with the country’s leading expert organisations in World Digestive Health Day and maybe other future initiatives.
What do you think of the current situation of digestive health in Malaysia?
The awareness of digestive health among Malaysians is not as high as other common health problems such as heart issues, diabetes, and obesity. Perhaps, one of the first things that we need to do now is to create awareness among the public so that equal emphasis on this health issue will be established. We would like to promote digestive system disease to the extent that it will not be a stranger to most of us.
Can you briefly tell us some of the most common digestive problems in Malaysia?
These include reflux oesophagitis, peptic ulcer disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.
As you may already know, digestive system disease is prevalent worldwide. Taking that into account, it is also one of the leading causes of death as reported in hospitals of the Malaysian Ministry of Health. It was reported in 2006 that diseases of the digestive system ranked sixth among the leading causes of death in MOH hospitals and seventh among leading causes of hospitalisation.
What are the factors contributing to these disorders?
The main factors contributing to the increase of these diseases would be lifestyle and dietary choices. With regards to colon cancer, the main and definitive cause is family history. The second contributing factor is the consumption of a Western diet, for example, too much red meat and not enough roughage. Other factors include not getting into the healthy habit of exercising.
Do you think that digestive health education helps in reducing the incidence of digestive problems?
Education in general is one of the important components in managing all kinds of health issues. Having sound knowledge will certainly help the understanding and the management of problems. For example, in reflux, certain dietary habits or food may aggravate the symptoms. With sound knowledge, symptoms can be avoided.
What are your recommendations to improve one’s digestive health?
First of all, we need to watch what we eat. It is important that you maintain a healthy diet. Fill up on fibre-rich food like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and wholegrains. You may want to choose meats that have lower fat contents such as chicken, turkey, or lean cuts of beef. You are also advised to reduce your intake of fried, fatty, and greasy foods.
It is vital that you drink at least two litres of water daily and decrease intake of caffeinated, alcoholic, and sugar-rich beverages. Besides making changes to the diet, adopting a healthy lifestyle such as getting regular exercise, managing stress, and quitting smoking are important measures to improve your digestive health.
In your opinion, what are some of the challenges faced by gastroenterologists in Malaysia?
We face a shortage of gastroenterologists in the country. Besides that, we also encounter barriers between doctors and the public as both have different perspectives. Some of the national policies on certain important issues, such as a screening programme for colon cancer, are also a challenge to us.
In the next 10 years, do you think we will be able to see many changes/improvement in the practice of gastroenterology in Malaysia? How will this affect the public?
Yes, if all the relevant parties get together and manage all the challenges that I have mentioned, things will improve. As such, we expect more efforts and measures to narrow the gap between the doctors and the public through more awareness programmes and educational programmes, preferably at all levels, on a national scale.
Are there any key messages you would like to convey to the public?
I would like to invite and urge the public to help us manage health issues, particularly in digestive health, and especially on preventive measures through education. In other words, the public needs to be actively involved together with doctors in managing many of the health issues we face.
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