Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), through the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition (FSMP), has established a collaboration with the Dietetics and Catering Department of the Sabah State Hospital to share expertise in enhancing meal menus for dysphagia patients.

Dr. Aizul Azri Azizan, a lecturer from the FSMP Food Service Program, explained in a statement that dysphagia, a condition where patients experience difficulty swallowing due to factors such as aging, stroke, cancer, and others, is commonly reported among the elderly in the country.

“This makes Malaysia at risk for dysphagia, as it is expected that 20 percent of the population will be elderly by 2056.

“Therefore, through this collaboration, UMS and the Dietetics and Catering Department of Sabah State Hospital will strengthen dysphagia menus based on the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiatives (IDDSI) framework, which provides preparation guidelines and testing methods used worldwide in managing dysphagia patients.

“This initiative also ensures that hospital menus align with clinical interventions and prescriptions provided by medical and speech therapy professionals based on their assessments,” he said in a statement during a recent visit by the Sabah State Hospital Dietetics and Catering Department to FSMP.

Aizul added that through the collaboration between academia and industry, sharing resources and expertise could improve the quality of health food services by providing IDDSI-compliant dysphagia diets in hospitals across Sabah.

“The implementation of IDDSI has not been carried out in any health facilities in Malaysia, making this effort a significant step forward in dysphagia management in the country.

“Thus, FSMP UMS is honored to continue contributing and collaborating with the Dietetics and Catering Department through the sharing of expertise and resources for the implementation of IDDSI in all hospitals in Sabah,” he said.

Meanwhile, Norafizah Mohd Nordin, Head of Dietetics and Catering Expertise, stated that the implementation of IDDSI in Sabah demonstrates the state’s commitment to improving patient nutrition intake in hospitals while ensuring the food texture is safe for consumption based on clinical needs.

“This collaboration also aims to enhance the food preparation skills of hospital staff in government hospitals to plan and prepare diets that comply with IDDSI specifications.

“Studies have shown that food waste for dysphagia patient menus, such as pureed diets, could reach 68 percent, indicating the need for serious attention to ensure that dysphagia patients’ nutritional treatments are improved,” she said.

Also present at the working visit were Heads of the Dietetics and Catering Departments, Dietetics Officers, and Assistant Food Service Officers from both the west and east coast zones of Sabah.