BAYU by Respiratory Department, Sabah

31/07/2025

"Let's build a system where every breath counts"

Our respiratory consultant, Dr Hema, delivered the keynote address for the RESPIRE Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 held in Kota Kinabalu from 29th July to 1st August.

The NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Respiratory Health (RESPIRE) aims to improve outcomes in respiratory diseases in disadvantaged populations, is co-led by the University of Edinburgh and Universiti Malaya, and is funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), using international development funding from the UK Government to support global health research.

In her keynote address titled "Universal Health Coverage and Respiratory Care in Malaysia: Realities , Challenges and Opportunities", Dr Hema shared the following:

1. Challenges unique to the Sabahan setting (delayed access to care, compromised quality of care, increased staff burnout, widening rural-urban disparities, disruption of primary care, increased burden on hospitals)

2. Various successes such as the strong role of our primary care clinics, public funding for biologics, digital coordination between district & HQE, and our Sabah Severe Asthma Network.

3. Suggestions for the future (Strengthening workforce, improving infrastructure and equipment, reform healthcare financing, digital health expansion, research)

Sabah Respiratory strongly supports equitable, accessible quality healthcare for all, and looks forward to future collaborations with programs like RESPIRE to improve healthcare delivery for our people.

To learn more about RESPIRE, click the link: https://usher.ed.ac.uk/respire/

Press release on the event: https://www.nabalunews.com/post/world-leading-experts-convene-to-discuss-respiratory-disease-burden-2

Press conference by the committee on va**ng: https://www.nst.com.my/amp/news/nation/2025/07/1252103/expert-urges-urgent-action-teen-va**ng-rates-surge

28/07/2025

No banquet lasts forever — as some bid farewell, others make their entrance. We bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr Larry Nyanti and Dr. Lee Jiun Hang. Both have been invaluable assets to the department, contributing greatly with their dedication and expertise. We sincerely wish them all the best in their future endeavours and hope our paths will cross again someday. We are also pleased to welcome our new fellows — Dr. Leong Wan Yi, Dr. Tee Sunn-Ren, and Dr. Prissana. We hope they will have a rewarding and enjoyable experience during their time in Kota Kinabalu.

15/06/2025

This week we bid farewell to our respiratory fellow, Dr Tharma, who completed his second year of training in HQE. Dr Tharma was a valuable team-player who will be missed for his affable nature and his dedication to patient care. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.

12/06/2025

Case sharing

We encountered a gentleman in his 60s presenting with bilateral lower lobe collapse on pre-cardiac operative CT, with no prior history of respiratory illness. Bronchoscopy revealed occluded right bronchus intermedius and left lower lobe bronchus with endoluminal nodules. In our first-stage procedure yesterday, we performed rigid bronchoscopy, endobronchial nodule biopsy, followed by balloon dilatation at the left lower lobe. A further second-stage procedure is planned for the right side with mitomycin C application. HPE to follow...

05/06/2025

This month's theme for College of Physicians Malaysia's weekly CMEs is Respiratory Medicine. Do listen in to a variety of crucial topics delivered by esteemed respiratory physicians from around Malaysia.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS WEBINAR
JUNE 2025
RESPIRATORY Medicine

Register Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8W9fzwuGTKqCFtpyI197mw

5TH June 2025
Topic: Lung Cancer Frontline: Getting It Right
Speaker: Dr Tan Sin Nee, Respiratory Physician,
Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan

Chair: Dr Huan Nai Chien, Consultant respiratory, sleep and internal medicine physician
Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

12th June 2025
Topic: Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Speaker: Dr MINALOSANI ARUMUGAM, Respiratory Physician
Hospital Pulau Pinang

Chair: Dr Ng Khai Lip
Respiratory Physicians
Hospital Melaka

19th June 2025
Topic: Biopsy Approaches in Lung Cancer
Speaker: Hema Yamini Ramarmuty, Respiratory Physician and Head of Department,
Department of Respiratory Medicine,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Chair: Raymund Dass s/o Maria Dass, Pulmonologist and Internal Medicine Consultant
Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar

26th June 2025
Topic: Central Airway Obstruction
Speaker: Dr Tan Hui Xin,
Respiratory Physician
Hospital Sungai Buloh

Chair: Dr. Sangeta Vadivelu
Consultant Physician & Pulmonologist
Hospital Sultan Abdul Halim, Sungai Petani

26/05/2025

Last weekend, the BAYU team was involved in three separate events.

a) 2nd Malaysia National Asthma COPD Preceptorship Conference

Dr Hema moderated a session on COPD cases, while Dr Tharma shared an interesting case of severe asthma.

The event also saw the official launch of the new Malaysian Asthma CPG. We congratulate the development group (of which Dr Hema was a member), the review committee, & external reviewers who've put in hundreds of hours into the publication. You can access it here:https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/CPG/Respiratory/e-CPG_Management_of_Asthma_in_Adults_(Second_Edition)_-_11_4_25.pdf

b) MEDQEH-UMS MRCP (UK) PACES Preparatory Course & Mock Exam 2025

Dr Ho Rong Lih participated in teaching sessions for the Respiratory station and also as an examiner for the mock examinations. Congrats to QEH Medical Society and UMS Medical Department for a successful event.

c) Sabah High Risk Pregnancy Course

Dr Larry delivered two talks (TB in pregnancy & Spirometry and Chronic Lung Disease) at the event tailored for both primary care and O&G medical officers.

20/05/2025

This month, we are bidding farewell to two of our beloved colleagues.

Dr Huan Nai Chien first joined us in 2019 as a respiratory fellow. He returned to serve as a respiratory physician, and has been the core driver of our research activities, not just in publications but also in mentoring junior doctors. He was instrumental in the expansion of scope services & sleep/lung cancer MDTs. We thank him for his dedication and hard work, and wish him the very best as he pursues further studies.

Dr Wong Yee Von first joined us in 2022, and was in charge of our severe asthma portfolio and Severe Asthma Network. She was actively involved in the international AMPLE-3 trial as a research assistant, and holds the treasurer post for Respiratory Update. Her dedication, enthusiasm and fun-loving nature will be missed. We are proud of her as she moves on to pursue her Masters in Internal Medicine.

20/05/2025

The faces behind the Respiratory Update 2025 committee. Thank you to all administrative staff, nurses, MAs, AMOs and doctors, for putting extra hours aside from your clinical commitments to sort the logistics, finances and registration matters! We also thank JKN Sabah and QEH Medical Society for their invaluable technical support.

15/05/2025

Case sharing: A middle-aged gentleman with biopsy proven Right upper lobe adenocarcinoma presented with recent total right lung collapse. We debulked and stented the right main bronchus using a combination of cryo-debulking and mechanical coring, with adjunctive APC to reduce the incidence of bleeding - followed by straight silicon stent insertion.

Read more about malignant CAO below:

ACCP Guidelines on Management of CAO:
https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(24)04614-2/fulltext

Predictors of success in therapeutic bronchoscopy for CAO:
https://bmcpulmmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12890-019-0987-3

11/05/2025

Thank you to all the speakers, committee members, sponsors, and participants of the Sabah Respiratory Update 2025. 📚

More photos from the event just now. And safe travels back home to everyone!

11/05/2025

Happening right now: Sabah Respiratory Update 2025!

Opening speech by Chairperson Dr Larry and Welcoming speech by Dr Marcus Netto, deputy director of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah. Event Emcee Dr Hang.

Looking forward to a day of learning and interaction!

09/05/2025

📚Welcome to the Sabah Respiratory Update 2025!

We’re excited to welcome all speakers and participants to this Sunday’s (11 May) event!

🏨 Venue: Level 7, Ballroom, Marriott Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
🅿️ Parking: Free parking available at Level 4

Zoom links will be emailed to participants who join us virtually. Wishing everyone safe travels! See you there! 🫁