BEYOND SUGAR
FROM SILENT EPIDEMIC TO EMPOWERED CARE
HELLO EVERYONE,
I’m Dr. Gula, and "Gula" means "sugar" in Malay— reflecting my deep commitment to diabetes care. I began my journey as a doctor about 20 years ago, and back then, it was rare to encounter a diabetic patient under the age of 45. Over time, I saw an alarming rise in younger adults being diagnosed, with blood sugar levels of 15-20mmol/L becoming common in people as young as 25 to 35. We are facing a silent pandemic.
The shift in lifestyle (with increased automation leading to sedentary habits), and also diet habits comprising of highly processed food (imagine burger on your left hand and bubble tea or sweetened coffee on your right hand) had significantly impacted the health of the Malaysian population in ways we hadn’t anticipated.
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Public awareness about diabetes was extremely low. I began to see the devastating complications of diabetes more frequently—wounds, amputations, blindness, strokes, and heart attacks. Yes, diabetes had become so prevalent that cardiologists were taking a keen interest in diabetic care, given that a large proportion of their patients were now diabetics.
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I felt a deep desire to make a difference, but once diabetes progresses into its later stages, reversing the damage becomes extremely challenging – even with the best resources in place, all that remains is damage control. Witnessing patients lose a part of themselves (an arm or a leg, AND their self-esteem) was truly disheartening. Moreover, I saw how diabetes affected not just the individual, but also the families—partners who had to adjust their lives to provide care, diminished earning potential, and yet at the same time, escalating healthcare costs.
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With 1 in 5 adults in Malaysia now living with diabetes, the healthcare system in Malaysia is overwhelmed. Diabetic specialist are being too busy handling highly complicated patients while general practitioners like myself finds it challenging to manage the complexity of diabetes. Early diabetic care & prevention focus typically remained on controlling blood sugar levels, but this approach alone is insufficient to address the broad aspects of diabetes care.
This realization fuelled my commitment to finding a better way to help my patients. I pursued further training, earning a Diploma in Diabetes from the University of Warwick and gained valuable experience in wound care under the mentorship of Dato Dr. Lim and Mr. Wong. Their passion and expertise deeply influenced me, and I am profoundly grateful for their guidance.
Through my journey, I have come to understand that empowering patients through knowledge is key to effective diabetes management. However, individualized education was often too resource-intensive. After years of refining my approach, I believe the answer lies in a combination of allied healthcare, tailored solutions for each patient, and continuous support through online education and clinic visits.
ALLIED HEALTHCARE
TAILORED SOLUTIONS
FOR EACH PATIENTS
CONTINUOUS SUPPORT
(ONLINE EDUCATION & CLINIC VISITS)
MALAYSIANS,
Take on this sweet challenge
with Dr Gula
A SWEETER OUTCOME FOR MALAYSIANS
Dr. Gula’s treatment plans are designed to be comprehensive yet simplified, acknowledging that patients have many aspects of life priorities beyond diabetes. We aim to support you with a personalized plan that fits your unique circumstances.
Diabetes management is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. In the early stages, you might not even realize the race has begun, as the symptoms of early diabetes are very subtle and can go unnoticed. My goal is to help you get started, provide encouragement, and keep you motivated throughout the journey. With Dr. Gula’s support, we will empower you to manage your diabetes in a way that allows you to focus on living your life fully, rather than being consumed by the disease.