EDB Says Eight out of 10 Japanese Pharma Companies Expanding into Singapore
More Japanese pharmaceutical companies are expanding their research and development (R&D) operations in Singapore, the Economic Development Board Chairman Beh Swan Gin commented at the opening of the Takeda Pharmaceutical office in Biopolis late February. Currently, eight out of the top 10 Japanese pharmaceutical companies have set up their regional headquarters in Singapore. Dr Beh also announced that another Japanese firm, Chugai Pharmaceutical, has committed an additional S$276 million to its antibody engineering lab in Singapore from 2017 to 2022. Japanese pharmaceutical firms are attracted to Singapore mainly because of its strong connectivity to the other markets in Asia, said Mr Beh, adding that the Republic also plays an important role in helping these pharmaceutical companies understand the regulatory environment in the fragmented marketplace in Asia.Still, Singapore is not resting on its laurels and is “expanding the network and sophistication of professional services firms that support senior decision makers in these regional headquarters”, said Dr Beh. Takeda Pharmaceutical first established its Asia-Pacific regional operations and clinical development hub in Singapore in 2008. Its new office will house its vaccine development activities, the Emerging Markets Business Unit and its regional R&D centre. Source: Channelnewsasia
Assunta Hospital
Tender Loving Care Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider in Malaysia and the first private hospital in the Klang Valley, is backed by a legacy of caring and dedicated healthcare delivery Writer Emily Jarvis Project Manager Eddie Clinton Malaysia is often referred to as the "Asian Dragon" and its healthcare system boasts of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. The industry – divided into private and public healthcare – has undergone huge transformation since the country's independence in 1957 and the government is committed to improving the system, having already achieved universal coverage for the population. Governmental sources describe the sector as "a major resource which is critical to the success of the nation's socio-economic status". Among the country's first tier medical provides is Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider with a sound history of providing "quality and affordable healthcare for all". A History of Delivery A look through the history books shows that Assunta, based in Petaling Jaya, a satellite city developed in 1952 to ease the problem of overpopulation in Kuala Lumpur, has always been committed to delivering dedicated healthcare across all levels of society. Assunta started small. What would later become the hospital opened its doors soon after Petaling Jaya's birth. It was established by four Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nuns and was originally a small clinic named Ave Maria, serving the healthcare needs of the underprivileged. Through public donations, the little clinic soon expanded to include a maternity home and convent. By 1957, the population of Petaling Jaya had grown…
Tung Shin Hospital
Q&A: Tung Shin Hospital The quality of healthcare is high in Malaysia, no more so than in its capital Kuala Lumpur which can boast of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. In this unique Q&A we learn more about Tung Shin Hospital, an unassuming private hospital with humble origins as a traditional medicine dispensary and hospice called Pooi Shin Thong. It is a place where East meets West. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Eddie Clinton Give me a brief introduction to Tung Shin. Who are you? Tung Shin Hospital is a non-profit community hospital established in 1881 and we will celebrate our 132nd anniversary on December 1, 2013. The hospital is unique in the sense that this is the only hospital in Malaysia and also Southeast Asia that practices dual-treatment - modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. What are your key strengths and what makes you unique? It is rare any organisation can celebrate its 132 years anniversary but this hospital has been serving the people for that entire period, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Everyone is entitled to the best care and we live by that mantra. What has the hospital been doing over the last year? We have been undergoing a bit of a revamp in recent years. The Western Division, which started almost 40 years ago, has seen some refurbishment especially at the old wards and the process has seen us invest in new equipment and upgrades at the Radiology and Imaging Department. In 2011, we invested in a Philips Ingenuity 128…
CMC Hospital Vellore
Making a difference Christian Medical College Vellore in Tamil Nadu, South India is a large Christian missionary healthcare organization. It has 8,500 staff, including 1,500 doctors and 2,500 other medical staff, as well as legions of administrative and support staff. They treat over 7,000 outpatients and over 2,600 inpatients. It's a massive operation, but its roots are relatively humble, going back 114 years to the turn of the 20th century. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Eddie Clinton The hospital's director, Dr. Sunil Chandy, tells us the story, "The Christian Medical College is a 114 year old institution started by a third generation American missionary, called Ida Scudder who responded to a dramatic experience she had, as a call of God towards the needs of the community here. After seeing the conditions of the women in this country she went to the US and trained as a doctor, then came back and started a clinic in 1900. It expanded to a 200 bed hospital by 1929. This hospital was not just a service unit but a teaching hospital and a medical school. It now has a nursing college with 100 nurses being trained a year and a whole array of healthcare courses." In the first two years since Scudder arrived back in India she treated over 5,000 patients, laying the foundations for a legacy that the college is continuing over a century later. "We're supported by a council of 60 protestant churches. It's a not for profit charitable institution that provides comprehensive primary, secondary, tertiary and now…
Hong Kong confirms first human case of H7N9 bird flu
Hong Kong has confirmed its first human case of the new strain of the H7N9 bird flu. Dr Ko Wing-man, the country's food and health secretary, said a 36-year-old Indonesian maid, who is in a critical condition in hospital, had "a history of travelling to Shenzhen, buying a chicken, slaughtering and eating the chicken". Four people in close contact with her are also showing signs of flu-like symptoms. H7N9 was first identified April and at least 139 human cases have been confirmed, including 45 deaths in China and Taiwan. Hong Kong is now on public health alert and has suspended the import of live chickens from some farms across the border with the mainland. Image: © Getty Copyright is owned by Asia Outlook and/or Outlook Publishing. All rights reserved.
Tung Shin Hospital
Q&A: Tung Shin Hospital The quality of healthcare is high in Malaysia, no more so than in its capital Kuala Lumpur which can boast of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. In this unique Q&A we learn more about Tung Shin Hospital, an unassuming private hospital with humble origins as a traditional medicine dispensary and hospice called Pooi Shin Thong. It is a place where East meets West. Writer Ian Armitage Project manager Eddie Clinton Give me a brief introduction to Tung Shin. Who are you? Tung Shin Hospital is a non-profit community hospital established in 1881 and we will celebrate our 132nd anniversary on December 1, 2013. The hospital is unique in the sense that this is the only hospital in Malaysia and also Southeast Asia that practices dual-treatment - modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. What are your key strengths and what makes you unique? It is rare any organisation can celebrate its 132 years anniversary but this hospital has been serving the people for that entire period, irrespective of race, creed or religion. Everyone is entitled to the best care and we live by that mantra. What has the hospital been doing over the last year? We have been undergoing a bit of a revamp in recent years. The Western Division, which started almost 40 years ago, has seen some refurbishment especially at the old wards and the process has seen us invest in new equipment and upgrades at the Radiology and Imaging Department. In 2011, we invested in a Philips Ingenuity 128…
Aetna International
Prevention and cure Aetna International delivers comprehensive global health insurance and health management solutions for mobile employees worldwide. Writer Chris Farnell Project manager Sheridan Halls With an ageing global population facing constantly changing circumstances, the healthcare industry is sitting on a demographic ticking time bomb, and is going to have to significantly change the way it does things if it's going to adapt to this new world. Nobody knows this better than Derek Goldberg, Managing Director: Southeast Asia, at Fortune 100 health insurance firm Aetna. "All healthcare companies are facing some daunting demographics and trends," says he. "Obesity has more than doubled between 1980 and 2013 while changes in diet and lifestyle are contributing to a rise in chronic diseases. We also have elderly populations rising around the world and one alarming statistic I've heard is that the global percentage of elderly people is expected to triple by 2050. The Southeast Asia region is no exception: Singapore, for instance, has one of the three or four most rapidly ageing populations in the world. Even more concerning is that these trends are projected to continue for the foreseeable future. This drives healthcare costs up, making it less affordable for people to obtain quality care. We aim to contain costs by better managing the health of patients who have chronic conditions while also focusing on prevention and wellness." It's a mission that that Aetna takes incredibly seriously. The company's approach to the issue is a forward-looking and multi-pronged attack. "Our mission is to make quality healthcare affordable and…
Assunta Hospital
The heart and art of care Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider in Malaysia and the first private hospital in the Klang Valley, is backed by a legacy of caring and dedicated healthcare delivery. Writer Ian Armitage & Chan Li Jin Project manager Eddie Clinton Malaysia is often referred to as the "Asian Dragon" and its healthcare system boasts of high-end hospitals that provide excellent services. The industry – divided into private and public healthcare – has undergone huge transformation since the country's independence in 1957 and the government is committed to improving the system, having already achieved universal coverage for the population. Governmental sources describe the sector as "a major resource which is critical to the success of the nation's socioeconomic status". Among the country's first tier medical provides is Assunta Hospital, a pioneering private healthcare provider with a sound history of providing "quality and affordable healthcare for all". A History of Delivery A look through the history books shows that Assunta, based in Petaling Jaya, a satellite city developed in 1952 to ease the problem of overpopulation in Kuala Lumpur, has always been committed to delivering dedicated healthcare across all levels of society. Assunta started small. What would later become the hospital opened its doors soon after Petaling Jaya's birth. It was established by four Franciscan Missionaries of Mary nuns and was originally a small clinic named Ave Maria, serving the healthcare needs of the underprivileged. Through public donations, the little clinic soon expanded to include a maternity home and convent. By 1957,…
Fertility services company to expand into Asia
Australia's Virtus Health, the world's first publicly listed fertility services company, plans to expand into Asia and grow at around four percent annually over the long-term. Chief executive Sue Channon told ABC's Inside Business the company's growth would come from the introduction of a low cost model and expanding into New Zealand and Asia. "That is part of our growth strategy," she said. "We'd like to look at opportunities to partner with other centres in Australia where we currently don't operate." Virtus, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, is Australia's largest fertility services provider, representing more than one-third of IVF cycles. Image: © Getty Copyright is owned by Asia Outlook and/or Outlook Publishing. All rights reserved.
Boston ‘terror’ blasts injure 140, three dead
Two explosions near the finishing line of the Boston Marathon have left three people dead and more than 140 injured. According to reports, 17 of those are in a critical condition, and the injuries include several amputations. President Barack Obama said those behind the attack would feel "the full weight of justice". "We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn't jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But make no mistake -- we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this; we'll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice," he said in a televised address. The first explosion came at about 15:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on the north side of Boylston Street. Seconds later, there was a second explosion further away from the finishing line. Shortly after that, a fire broke out at Boston's John F Kennedy Library a few miles away from the explosions. It is unclear whether the incidents are related. The FBI has taken over what it calls a "potential terrorist inquiry". No group or individual had so far said they carried out the attack. Image: © Getty Copyright is owned by Asia Outlook and/or Outlook Publishing. All rights reserved.
