VOICES
ANIMAL HEALTH
DVS: Centralised Pig Farming Protects Public Health, Curbs Environmental Pollution
The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) says modern pig farming can protect public health and ensure environmentally friendly waste management. DVS also says centralised pig farming reduces the risk of Nipah virus outbreaks and disease transmission.
Nipah Risk Hinges On Pig Farm Site, Bat Exposure, Says Monash Virologist
Monash University virologist Dr Sharifah Syed Hassan says modern pig farming protects public health only if farm siting and biosecurity cut bat exposure pathways that drove the 1999 Nipah outbreak. Poor controls and pig movements can still spread disease.
MALAYSIA
Maaedicare Charitable Foundation Subsidises Dialysis For 100 Patients Nationwide In 2026
Maaedicare Charitable Foundation is tackling the kidney failure crisis by subsidising dialysis treatment for 100 new, low-income Malaysian patients from B40 households.
Base MHIT Copayments, Deductibles Aren’t High: Amir Hamzah
Amir Hamzah says copayments/deductibles in the Base MHIT Plan aren't "high" and policyholders are responsible for controlling health care costs. Base MHIT has RM500/RM1k deductible in its Standard Plan, and RM10k-RM15k deductible in its Standard-Plus Plan.
WORLD
US Exits World Health Organization, Says America Will Lead In Public Health
The US has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the WHO of failures during the Covid pandemic. "The United States will continue to lead the world in public health," say HHS Secretary RFK Jr and Secretary of State Rubio.
Sunset Of The Mouse Era
2026 will mark a shift in the world of biomedical science. As regulators move to phase down animal testing, an alternative for cancer research is emerging in the form of tiny ‘tumours in a dish’ called organoids.
