Jesselton Medical Centre “A One-Stop” Tertiary Healthcare

Parents Avenue Magazine | Issue No.2 | January - March 2016 | Featured Healthcare

Jesselton Medical Centre  (JMC) is “A One-Stop” tertiary healthcare centre of International Standards, one of the top private healthcare providers located in the heart of Kolombong’s prominent industrial corridor, in the newly developed town, Metro Town of Kota Kinabalu.

JMC was established to be a centre of excellence in medical care to cater for the needs of the people of Sabah. JMC was designed and constructed over a period of three years. Meticulous attention was paid to the design and construction to ensure the safety and comfort of patients. Their attention to detail was also extended to the recruitment of our Resident Consultants, the majority of whom are recognised locally, nationally and even internationally. 

JMC’s philosophy is to provide a caring environment where patients are treated with dignity by dedicated professional staff. They are well aware that falling ill is a fact of life which results in patient, families suffering both emotional and financial losses. Their of these patients in the shortest possible time and they are able to do this as they have invested in the latest medical equipment and facilities.

Radiology & Imaging Services | 1.5 Tesla MRI

JMC has the capacity of 74 beds consisting of single and double bedded rooms, an Intensive Care Unit, Maternity Suite, Nursery bays and Phototherapy bays for the newborns. Furthermore, JMC has invested heavily in equipment and human resources. As an example they have the only Infectious Disease Specialist, the only Emergency Specialist in the private sector in Sabah and the only 640 slice CT scanner in this part of the region.

They also have self-contained isolation facilities in the hospital. In order to ensure that patients undergoing major surgery have the best chances of recovery, two of their major operating theatres are equipped with guided air flow systems which are the latest technology to ensure the chances of infection have been reduced to the lowest levels possible. They are the only private hospital in Sabah to have this.

Operating Theatre

Despite all of the advanced equipment that JMC has invested in, they are committed to provide affordable private health care for the people. In addition, their Medical Team is composed of a highly trained professional team of highly skilled specialists with significant experience with both outpatients & inpatients.

JMC ambitiously has a strong focus on preventive healthcare and a tenacious commitment to nurture excellence and expertise in healthcare and to make their vision of a future where the people of Sabah are healthy into reality. JMC is emerging as the preferred healthcare destination.

JMC synergize with government hospitals, general practitioners and other health institutions to ensure its patients get the latest treatment. JMC is also geared to provide medical treatment for medi-tourists. It has an ideal environment for tourists with its sister building –Avangio Hotel- a 5-stars rated hotel that was built adjacent to JMC. In addition, JMC is in the midst of registering itself with the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) to serve and care for tourists who want to come both for medical treatment and to see Sabah’s natural attractions.

24 Hours Emergency Clinic & Ambulance Services

JMC is more than just a facility with the latest equipment; it also takes pride in having experienced and well-trained personnel at all levels. For patients, modern equipment together with highly trained and capable professionals to give an excellent personalised services right from the beginning and more importantly, proper diagnosis and treatment. 

LIST OF JMC MEDICAL FACILITIES:
1) 640 slice Toshiba CT Scanner
2) 1.5 tesla Toshiba MRI scanner
3) Phillips Epic 7 4D Echocardiogram
4) Phillips Cardiac Monitoring System
- Hospital wide integrated system
- Web enabled for remote viewing
- Enables doctors to monitor patients from home
5) Hologic Digital Mammogram
- First in the private sector in Sabah
6) Dedicated Qualified Emergency Doctor
7) Infectious Diseases Specialist
- Responsible for infection control
8) Bausch & Lomb Stellaris
- With fully integrated laser
- Only vitreoretinal surgical system that comes
with a dual light source
- Smallest incisions which is less than 2mm for
both retinal and cataract surgeries
9) Barco Lucie Point of Care Terminals
10) 37 Degrees Hospital Information System
- First in Malaysia
- Provides cross platform patient information
- Paperless Patient Information
- Able to view all patient data and X-rays
11) Operating Theatre Guided airflow system
- Only two in the private sector in East Malaysia
- Minimises risk of infection during surgery
12) Cytori Celution Stem Cell Therapy
- Prepare your own stem cells for treatment
- Treatment proven by clinical trials
13) Screening of all new born babies hearing
- Done by qualified PhD Audiologist
14) Screening of all new born babies for jaundice
- Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement
- Done without need for blood or needles
15) Genetic Screening
- Collaboration with Quantum Laboratories and AsiaGenomics

Jesselton Medical Centre, “An Institution of Trust and Quality”.


Should you need more information about Jesselton Medical Centre services and facilities, please feel free to contact them.

Jesselton Medical Centre Sdn Bhd
Jalan Metro 2, Metro Town, Off Jalan Lintas,
88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
General Line : +60 88- 366 333
Fax : +60 88- 388 896
Website : www.jmc.my
Email : customerservice@jmc.my

JESSELTON MEDICAL CENTRE EMERGENCY (24 HOURS)
+6088 - 366 399

Skin Care For Tiny Tots

What is the BEST practice?

By Dr. Joanne Lee Guey Feng
Consultant Paediatrician & Lactation Specialist
KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital | Tel: 088-211 333

For most parents whom I came across, have different ideologies in caring for the delicate skin of their
newborn babies. For some new parents, bathing a baby can be a huge task with lots of ‘EXCITEMENT’ and ‘ANXIETY’ (more so if you have to bath a crying baby in a tub of water, who is just a few days old). How stressful! What a struggle!

Parents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) would be:
• Does a newborn baby who has just delivered truly need a shower? Do they need a bath time after coming out from labour room?
• Must you bath your young baby every day?
• How many times do you need to shower your baby in a day?
• Can I use plain water to clean them? Or must I use a baby shampoo/ body cleanser?

Surprisingly, the approach to skin care for newborn babies has created some confusion among neonatal staff from 9 nurseries in United Kingdom, and even in our local setting among the confinement ladies of Sabah. So, what is the best practice that we can refer to?

World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness (NIH) published a statement in 2006 with recomendations for the issue of caring for the newborn skin.

Below are the guidelines adapted by North Trent Neonatal Network, United Kingdom:

1. Leave Vernix Caseosa to absorb into the skin. Do not rub it off.
2. Only bath a baby when he/ she is physiological stable.
3. If necessary, bath a ‘well’ baby when his/her temperature has been within an acceptable range for 2-4 hours after delivery, but preferably delay the first bath until the second or third day of life to assist with skin maturation.
4. Ensure the temperature of bath water is maintained at 37°C. Use a bath thermometer.
5. Avoid baby toiletries and other cleansing products until the baby is at least a month old—use plain water to cleanse baby’s skin.
6. Only bath baby 2-3 times a week—‘top and tail’ in between bathing.
7. Use the best quality nappy available to the baby—changed soiled nappies frequently and cleanse the nappy area with plain water or unperfumed, alcohol-free baby wipes.
8. Expose the nappy area as often as possible and consider using a thin layer of barrier ointment in nappy area to protect the stratum corneum –ensure ointment is preservative-free and does not contain
anti-septic, fragrance or colourings.
9. Avoid the use of ointments/ lotions/ talc powder on the baby’s skin unnecessarily.
10. Ensure the umbilical cord is kept clean and dry, allowing it to be exposed to air as frequently as possible.

Dr. Joanne’s Q & A

Q: What is Vernix Caseosa?
A: Vernix is the sticky, whitish covering on the outer skin of a newborn baby. It is formed from the skin epithelial cells during the last trimester (6 months of pregnancy). It is said to be the ‘Natural Skin Cleanser & Moisturizer’ for the baby with important protective functions, preventing the invasion of harmful bacteria attaching to the skin as well as preventing excess water/ temperature loss to the environment.

Q: Do we need to remove this Vernix immediately after birth?
A: No need to. You could just wipe it off from baby’s eyes and mouth, but leave the Vernix on the skin over 24 hours.

Q: When would be the best time to give a newborn baby his/ her ‘FIRST’ bath?
A: Recommend to bath baby after day 2 or 3 post-delivery, when the baby’s temperature is more stable with less risk of hypothermia (low body temperature). For premature babies or a baby who is ill, it is best to delay the bathing until baby is more stable.

Q: What is ‘Top-Tail’ bathing?
A: Most hospital baby nurseries or neonatal units adopted this method to clean the baby’s skin, mainly cleaning baby’s face and buttocks.
i. Before starting, wash your hands clean with soap and running tap water.
ii. Place baby is a safe and flat changing mat or changing table.
iii. Soak some cotton balls into a bowl of warm water. Then squeeze the cotton balls dry.
iv. First, wipe the inner part of the eyes softly and spread to the outer eyes. Using seperate cotton buds for each eye.
v. Take another cotton ball to wipe the face, nose and mouth.
vi. Wipe the earlobes, back of the ears and neck area.
vii. You can then wipe the baby’s hands and feet with cotton balls or a piece of towel.
viii. Lastly, use a cotton ball to wipe the baby’s buttocks clean. You can apply a layer of the nappy barrier cream to the buttocks before changing a new diaper.

Q: If we bath our babies 2 to 3 times a day, will it give any effect to baby’s skin?
A: For the first 1 month of life, it’ll be enough to just bath a baby 2 to 3 times per week (once every 1 or 2 days). Babies don’t tend to sweat as much as a normal grown-up toddler. If we bath them too frequently, their delicate skin will lose the acidic protective barrier and its moisture.

Q: How do I make choices between different brands baby body cleanser in the market?
A: A good baby skin product should be non-fragrant without chemical ingredients that can irritate the skin. However, during baby’s first month of age, bathing with plain water will be sufficient.

Q: Is there any difference between cloth diapers versus disposable diapers in the prevention of nappy rash?
A: 17 collective reports in the Cochrane Review reported no difference between the usage among these two. Frequent changing of diapers and strong absorptive diapers are proven to reduce the risk of
nappy rash.

Q: Which nappy rash cream should I consider buying?
A: From my personal experience, I actually kept 3 different nappy rash creams for my little one. It’s more of preference with affordability of the purchase, there’s no one magic cream to suit all ‘bum bums’. The main factor is to consider having is a good habit of frequent washing of the buttocks each time your baby wees or poops (my boy poops up to 8 time per day!) remember to change their diaper before you go to sleep.. ZZzz

Please feel free to call KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital 088-211 333 should you need more information or advice regarding to this topic.

Gastro-oesophageal Reflux in Infancy

Blergggh!! Regurgitation in young infants - should I be worried?

By Dr. Alvin Khoh, Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist

Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Hospital | Tel: 088-518 888

A newborn baby!

Congratulations all around! The birth of a child is definitely a joyous occasion for the family. One can spend hours just staring at a newborn baby - watching every expression and every movement that the baby makes. And then suddenly, the baby regurgitates out its milk! And not for the first time. The baby seems to regurgitate various amount of milk every now and then.

The above scenario happens quite frequently to many newborn babies and causes a lot of distress among parents. Various unhappy thoughts would often come into mind: Will my baby have enough milk, since he seems to “vomit” everything out? Will my baby grow well? Am I feeding my baby correctly? Is there anything wrong with my baby’s digestive system? Will the milk go into my baby’s lung and cause damage? Should I change formula? Thankfully, for the majority of these babies, these episodes of regurgitation are not harmful to them.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is a common condition and is a normal phenomenon in healthy babies. Reflux happens when there is movement of stomach content back up into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is the food tube that carries food from our mouth into our stomach. When reflux happens in babies, the milk may regurgitate all the way up into the mouth. This manifests as regurgitation or “posseting”.

Many parents often perceive these episodes of regurgitation as vomiting. From a doctor’s perspective, vomiting occurs when there is a forceful contraction of the stomach, leading to emptying of the stomach content out through the mouth. Usually, vomiting is a symptom of an underlying illness.

Compared to vomiting, the process of regurgitation is effortless and occurs spontaneously. Some babies regurgitate more than others - this does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong. It does not harm your child and is unlikely to cause problems in later life.

Why does reflux happen in babies?

The lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) is a muscle the closes the oesophagus from the stomach after we swallow. In babies, this muscle relaxes more frequently, thus allowing the stomach content to reflux upwards into the oesophagus. Studies have shown that a healthy baby can reflux up to 30 times a day, although not all reflux leads to visible regurgitation. Most babies tend to regurgitate at least once per day, although in some, it can be as frequent as after every feed. It mostly happens after feeding, but it can occasionally occurs at other times, e.g. after coughing or crying.

For most babies, you don’t have to do anything about reflux and regurgitation. It is a natural process and will resolve by itself with time. This is because as the baby grows, the oesophagus gets longer, the stomach grows larger and more importantly, the lower oesophageal junction also becomes more mature and stronger. After 6 months of age, an infant also starts to take more solids and spend more time sitting upright, and this will also lead to an improvement in symptoms. Generally, the problem disappears around 1 year of age.

When should I worry about my baby’s reflux?

Generally, if parents have any concerns or uncertainty about their baby, they should seek medical advice. You should also seek treatment if your baby has the following:

• blood or bile (greenish) in the vomit
• fever, unwell, irritable
• choking episodes
• breathing difficulty or fast breathing
• not gaining weight or losing weight
• feeding refusal

What is the treatment for reflux?

In most babies with reflux, there is NO need for medical treatment. As mentioned before, reflux is a normal phenomenon and will get better over time. However, the following practice may help in some

babies with frequent regurgitation.

You should regularly burp your child after each feed. In babies with more frequent regurgitation, some parents find it helpful if they stop and burp their baby midway, or hold the baby upright for 20 to 30 minutes after each feed. You can also try giving smaller and more frequent feeds, but definitely avoid overfeeding, especially with bottle-feeding.

Changing from breastfeeding to bottle feeding/formula is NOT RECOMMENDED as it does not have effect on reflux. If your baby is already on infant formula, it is also not recommended to routinely change formula for the same reason. There are some special infant formulas in the market that may reduce the frequency of visible regurgitation, but it is generally better to consult your doctor first before switching formulas.

Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease

In a small percentage of babies with reflux, it can lead to problems. This is when doctors call it Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease. These babies may have breathing problems due to milk aspiration, or sometimes poor weight gain. In these group of babies, the doctor may start some

medication or suggest the use of a special thickened infant formula.

Conclusion

Regurgitation or reflux is a common problem in young infants. In most cases, it does not cause harm to them and will improve with time. It does however cause parents to be distressed and often leads to

tired parents from constant washing and mopping up. It is best to seek professional advice is you are worried about your baby’s condition.


Please feel free to call Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Hospital 088-518 888 should you need more information or advice regarding to this topic.

Making No Excuses - Maria Kang

Modern Day SUPERMOM

Interview by Stella Matilda
Photo by Larry Wong

We are grateful to have Maria Kang gracing Parents Avenue Magazine Sabah's front cover for our launch issue. She is the most inspiring and influential mother, wife, author, speaker, business owner, nonprofit founder, fitness philanthropist, and social entrepreneur. She is a widely known as “Fit Mom” whose No Excuse campaign to get people active, has reached millions of people around the world.

Maria Kang is a mother of 3 sons, a wife to a former Marine, a business owner of elderly residential care homes and a nonprofit founder, Fitness without Borders. Despite growing up on McDonalds, sugary cereals and frozen dinners, she developed a passion for fitness and nutrition when she witnessed her mother struggle with health-related diseases. Maria started teaching aerobics classes in high school and became a part-time personal trainer while attending the University of California, Davis, where she received two majors in International Relations and Asian History and a minor in Political Science in 2002.

She has won several beauty and fitness titles including Miss Petite Teen International, Miss San Francisco Chinatown, Miss Philippines USA, Miss Bikini California and placed top five in both the Bikini and Model America National competitions. She has been on the cover of Max Sports and Fitness magazine, Shape Malaysia, Sacramento Parent, SF Weekly and has appeared on Good Morning America, Today Show, Dr. Oz, Inside Edition, Fox and Friends, CNN, Meghan Kelly, Access Hollywood, Geraldo Rivera, Neil Cavuto and Bethenny, to name a few.

In her twenties, Maria battled an eating disorder and began her popular blog in 2005. She gave birth in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and started the first free No Excuse Mom group in Elk Grove. In 2014 she started the No Excuse Mom movement, where she rallied thousands of mothers to begin hundreds of free workout groups in over 25 countries. In March 2015, she launched her first book with Harmony books, titled “The No More Excuses Diet” detailing a realistic meal plan, home workouts and her trademark goal-setting strategy of S.P.E.E.D., S.T.R.I.V.E. and S.C.O.R.E.


The interview with Maria Kang:

Why did you start up No Excuse Mom and what are your future goals for this movement?

No Excuse Mom (NEM) was created because mothers were seeking a positive, healthy and empowering community of women who prioritized health and overcame their challenges/excuses. In January 2014, we expanded our mission to include free workout groups throughout the world. Our goal is to continue inspiring mothers to take action, forfeit excuses and become leaders of their home - after all, if you want to raise a healthy child, you must be a healthy parent.

Being a mom of 3 kids (all boys!), how do you balance your life between your business, family and personal life?

Every morning I set my 3 “Ps” - which are my professional, personal and physical goals. Despite how busy I am, I try to put at least something in each priority bucket. Having a lot of responsbility means I also don’t have a lot of free time. So planning, prepping and prioritizing are all very high on my list. I don’t watch (if any) TV and when I am engaged in an actvity (like spending time with friends or working for example) I am completely focused and ensuring the time is quality.

Do you think being a working mom has made your kids more independent and more successful in life?

I absolutely believe that we must set strong examples for our children. They watch, observe and will eventually emulate us. We demonstrate what is possible. We teach the universal principles found in hard work, persistence, reflection and discipline. My children are with me the majority of the time.

Sometimes I will swim with them in the pool or help build a Lego building, but it’s also equally or more important, for them to see me work: interact with my elderly residents, film a TV segment, or lead my local NEM group. The sooner you teach your children about taking responsibility and accountability for their actions and aiming their short term desires for long term goals, they will become more successful!

What advise would you give to moms who are struggling to balance their work, family and personal life?

I would suggest they make sure they take time for themselves. Do ONE thing that you know is for you. For me, that’s working out. If I have additional time, I will write a journal or read a book. You can’t put yourself last on your list because eventually you will burn out. Here are my concrete tips:

• Maximize your time and focus on your activity. I would even suggest to time how long it takes to get tasks done so you can schedule your day accordingly.
• Set balanced goals (going back to the 3 P’s)
• Get enough sleep - at least 7 hours.
• Eat every few hours and bring a water bottle everywhere you go. Health is Wealth!
• Count your blessings. When you live in a state of gratitude, you feel more abundant rather than drained.

How do you spend your time with your family?

• We wake up together nearly every day. They always sneak themselves in my room around 4/5am. We always snuggle and play in the mornings.
• They workout with me whether it’s at the park or in my home gym - they are there!
• We love going on hikes and the park.
• The boys bake with me often, 80% of the time they bake with me (and I bake often)
• They are with me ALL the time, so we always sing in the car on the way to the next destination

Tell us a little bit about your book The No More Excuses Diet.

It’s a simple, realistic and factual approach about fitness, nutrition and troubleshooting excuses. It focuses on the number 3 and becoming your best self and breaking down your goals into 3 days, 3 weeks a 3 months. 

To purchase The No More Excuses Diet by Maria Kang, please click HERE.

What was your kids reaction when they first saw your book in store?

They were super excited! But they are so young so they were quickly distracted by the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtle books in the other aisle, lol.

What are your hopes and dreams for your kids when they grow up?

I hope they are healthy. I hope they have courage and convicted in their beliefs. I hope they find a great life partner, find their passion 

To know more about No Excuse Mom Movement, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.