Definition of 30 Dread Diseases

1. Cancer

Cancer is the general name for a large group of diseases. It occurs when cells in the body grow and divide out of control. These cancer or malignant cells invade and destroy normal tissue.

2. Heart Attack

The death of portion of the heart muscle due to inadequate blood supply. Diagnosis is based on a combination of history of typical chest pain, ECG changes, elevation of cardiac enzymes/biochemical markers and echocardiocardiograhic findings.

3. Stroke

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts, leading to the death of a part of the brain. This results in a permanent deterioration of activities of daily living such as mobility, swallowing, dressing and bathing.

4. Coronary Artery

By-pass Surgery Based on a consultant cardiologist's diagnosis of significant blockage of the blood vessels that carries oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscles, open-chest surgery is carried out to by-pass the blockage with grafts.

5. Kidney Failure

Long-term irreversible failure of both kidneys to function at the stage that the person requires either permanent kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.

6. Aplastic Anaemia

Long-term failure of the bone marrow to produce various types of blood cells resulting in diseases that require treatment such as blood transfusion, bone marrow transplant, drugs to stimulate the bone marrow or drugs to suppress the immune system.

7. Blindness

Total and permanent loss of vision in both eyes as a result of illness or accident.

8. End Stage Lung Disease

Chronic lung diseases at the end stage of respiratory failure, requiring permanent oxygen therapy.

9. End Stage Liver Failure

Chronic liver diseases, other than that caused by drug abuse and alcohol, at the stage in which the person is permanently jaundiced with fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and suffers from toxic effects on the brain (hepatic encephalopathy) that includes confusion, personality change and coma.

10. Coma

Permanent brain damage with loss of consciousness for at least 96 hours, with no response to external stimuli. Life support is needed to sustain life. Coma due to alcohol and drug abuse is excluded.

11. Deafness (Loss of Hearing)

Total and irreversible loss of hearing as supported by evidence from hearing tests and certification by an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist.

12. Heart Valve Surgery

Open-heart surgery to repair or replace abnormal heart valves. The procedure must be considered necessary by a consultant cardiologist.

13. Loss of Speech

Total and irrecoverable loss of speech due to injury or disease, for a continuous period of 12 months or more.

14. Major Burns

Burn of third degree or full skin thickness severity, affecting at least 20% of the body's surface.

15. Major Organ/Bone Marrow Transplantation

Transplants include human bone marrow and replacement of irreversibly end-stage failure organs namely, heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas.

16. Multiple Sclerosis

It is an auto-immune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Depending on which areas of the CNS are affected and how badly they are damaged, the type and severity of symptoms can vary greatly. In general, people with MS can experience partial or complete loss of any function that is controlled by, or passes through, the brain or spinal cord.

17. Muscular Dystrophy

This refers to a group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the voluntary muscles which control movement. A definite diagnosis has to be made by a consultant neurologist.

18. Paralysis (Loss of Use of Limbs)

Complete and irreversible loss of use of at least 2 entire limbs due to injury or disease. Self-inflicted injuries are excluded.

19. Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from degeneration of nerve cells in a region of the brain that controls movement.

20. Surgery to Aorta

Major surgery to correct abnormalities such as aneurysm (ballooning and weakening of the wall in the aorta), narrowing, obstruction or dissection (tear in the lining of the aorta, permitting blood to seep between the layers of the aorta) of the aorta in the chest and abdomen.

21. Alzheimer's Disease/Severe

Dementia Illness in which there is severe loss of cognitive functions, resulting in the inability to carry on the activities of daily living without continuous supervision.

22. Fulminant Hepatitis

Significant destruction of the liver caused by the Hepatitis virus, resulting in the liver failure.

23. Motor Neuron Disease

Progressive disease of the nervous system, resulting in weakness and wasting of muscles.

24. Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a disease of unknown cause that results in the progressive narrowing of the blood vessels of the lungs. This causes an elevation of blood pressure in these blood vessels. Eventually, this lead to heart failure and the patient is unable to engage in any physical activity without discomfort.

25. Terminal Illness

An illness in which the patient is not expected to live beyond 12 months.

26. HIV

Due to blood transfusion and occupationally acquired HIV Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Viral (HIV) either as a result of being transfused with HIV-tainted blood or as a result of an accident in the course of duty of a healthcare worker.

27. Benign Brain Tumour

This refers to a non-cancerous growth in the brain that has caused damage to the brain and is life-threatening. It has either been surgically removed or if it were not operable, the tumour has resulted in a permanent loss of bodily functions.

28. Encephalitis

Infection of the brain caused by viruses, resulting in permanent loss of bodily functions.

29. Angioplasty & Other Invasive Treatment for Coronary Artery

The introduction of an instrument into a blood vessel to reach the heart so as to correct one or more narrowed blood vessels (coronary arteries) of the heart.

30. Bacterial Meningitis

Infection of the coverings (called meninges) of the brain or spinal cord by bacteria, resulting in severe and permanent loss of bodily function.

Disclaimer: The above definitions are for information only. Please refer to the policy document for the specific definitions. Note: We do not pay if any of the followings happened within 90 days of the commencement of cover : Cancer, Heart Attack, recommended coronary artery by-pass surgery or angioplasty including other invasive treatment for coronary artery.