This paper analyses maternal mortality as seen in the Obstetric Unit of the University Kebangsaan Malaysia. During the 10 year study period, the maternal mortality rate was 74/100,000 total births. Women who were non-booked, aged above 40 years, gradmultiparous and of India ethnicity were at the highest risk of maternal death. The commonest causes of death were hemorrhage, hypertension, embolism and sepsis. Post-mortem examinations were performed in only 8.2% of women who died.
There is a scarcity in both epidemiological studies and forecast models on the impact of air pollution on respiratory allergic responses in Malaysia. The quantification of baseline allows for an understanding of the severity of the impact and target areas for intervention. High-quality forecasts not only provide information for the assessment of potential outcomes but also the dissemination of public health warnings, such as the application of mobile-based early warning systems. There is a need for a data repository system that facilitates research on such studies. However, a call for more evidence should not put a pause on actions and future plans that will help reduce pollution emission and exposure to air pollutants as there are sufficient evidence to indicate that air pollutants impact health.
This article is part of the Research Topic 'Health Systems Recovery in the Context of COVID-19 and Protracted Conflict'. Universities, as engines of knowledge creation and dissemination and as incubators of disciplined yet original thinking, have a key role to play in tackling the most complex challenges that societies and our planet face, from infectious diseases to the climate emergency. This commentary presents the perspectives from Sunway University, a young private university in Malaysia that made a strong commitment to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) prior to the pandemic, and its experiences in promoting research, innovation, and learning as part of COVID-19 recovery and in preparation for future crises such as the climate emergency. Some of the university's initiatives include embracing the planetary health approach, reviving essential public health functions, exploring pandemic resilience, addressing 'infodemics' and promoting science diplomacy. The example of Sunway University provides some insights on the opportunities and challenges that academic institutions face as they seek to reorient the paradigm of education, research, and service away from disciplinary siloes and towards a more integrated, preventive, accessible and translational approach.
Kent Buse and colleagues argue that unlocking the potential for intersectoral action on climate and health requires thinking politically about its facilitators and barriers
The World Health Organisation (WHO) was inaugurated in 1948 to bring the world together to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for all. Establishing health governance under the United Nations (UN), WHO was seen as the preeminent leader in public health, promoting a healthier world following the destruction of World War II and ensuring global solidarity to prevent disease and promote health. Its constitutional function would be 'to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work'. Yet today, as the world commemorates WHO's 75th anniversary, it faces a historic global health crisis, with governments presenting challenges to its institutional legitimacy and authority amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. WHO governance in the coming years will define the future of the Organisation and, crucially, the health and well-being of billions of people across the globe. At this pivotal moment, WHO must learn critical lessons from its past and make fundamental reforms to become the Organisation it was meant to be. We propose reforms in WHO financing, governance, norms, human rights and equity that will lay a foundation for the next generation of global governance for health.