| ASEAN
Malaria superbugs threaten global disease control South China Morning Post 2nd Feb 2017
Multidrug-resistant malaria superbugs have taken hold in parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, threatening to undermine progress against the disease, scientists said. The superbugs - malaria parasites that can beat off the best current treatments, artemisinin and piperaquine - have spread throughout Cambodia, with even fitter multi-drug resistant parasites spreading in southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. “We are losing a dangerous race to eliminate artemisinin resistant...malaria before widespread resistance to the partner antimalarials makes that impossible,” said Nicholas White, a professor at Oxford University in Britain and Mahidol University in Thailand who co-led the research.
Brunei
MoH committed in providing cancer care Borneo Bulletin Online 5th Feb 2017
Around 600 people in Brunei were diagnosed with cancer last year. This was stated by Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, the Minister of Health, while delivering a speech at the World Cancer Day event held yesterday at The Brunei Cancer Centre (TBCC). “Last year, 600 people in Brunei were told that they have cancer. One in four of us will develop it at some point in our lifetime. This disease is Brunei’s biggest killer. Many of us personally, and among our friends and families, know what it is like to experience the effects of cancer in our lives,” said the minister. The minister highlighted, however, that it is not enough to merely ensure that treatment options are available for those with cancer. “Indeed, the theme for this year’s World Cancer Day, ‘We Can. I Can.’ demands that we go further in two key aspects of controlling this disease,” he said. “First, in prevention, and second in early detection. These two go hand-in-hand and forms the bedrock of our national strategy to reduce cancer deaths in Brunei Darussalam.”
Cambodia
Government Launches New Policy on Health Care for the Elderly The Cambodia Daily 15th Feb 2017
Ensuring that older residents have access to health care is one of the challenges for Cambodia as it faces an aging population, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. A national health policy that has been in the works for more than a year was presented on Tuesday in Phnom Penh, setting the foundation for caring for Cambodia’s rapidly increasing elderly population, though no action plan has been created. The National Institute of Statistics estimated that the number of Cambodians who were over the age of 60 in 2015 was 1.3 million, or 8.3 percent of the total population. That’s expected to reach 5 million—21 percent of the population—by 2050.
Malaria Death Count Drops to Just One in 2016 The Cambodia Daily 10th Feb 2017
The number of malaria cases dropped by about 54 percent last year, with just one person dying from the mosquito-borne disease compared to 10 the previous year, according to the government’s latest annual malaria report. There was a significant drop from 51,262 cases in 2015 to 23,6327 reported last year, according to data released by on Thursday by the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control (CNM). One malaria-prone province, Preah Vihear, has seen reported cases of the disease drop to zero, a provincial health official said.
Civil servant healthcare program created Khmer Times 9th Feb 2017
Public officials, civil servants and veterans can breathe a bit easier now that King Norodom Sihamoni has officially signed a royal decree establishing a social security healthcare fund. The edict will see the country’s more than 300,000 public servants – including those who work in the kingdom’s ministries, institutions and national as well as sub-national units – receive insurance that covers emergency treatment, pre- and post-natal care, illness consultation and many other services.
Pesticides pose risk to workers, research finds Phnom Penh Post 6th Feb 2017
Cambodian migrant workers face adverse health effects brought on by exposure to pesticides and a lack of protective gear when working on farms in Thailand, a new study has found. The study, conducted by a group of health researchers and published late last month, shows that more than 75 percent of the migrant workers had abnormal levels of cholinesterase in their blood. Low levels of cholinesterase can lead to dizziness, headaches and nausea, and in more extreme cases, vomiting and diarrhea. But many of the workers did not use appropriate protection, the study found. Of the 891 workers that took part in the study, more than 80 percent “wore clothes that did not provide adequate protection from pesticide exposure”, often because the employers failed to provide appropriate clothing. Moreover, there are no health-screening guidelines for migrant workers who were in contact with pesticides in Thailand – something that the researchers argue should be changed. Another reason for the low use of protection, the study suggested, may be a lack of language skills, making it difficult for the Cambodian workers to understand Thai warnings on pesticide containers.
Indonesia
Combatting Malnutrition Tempo 15th Feb 2017
The Nusantara Sehat program was initiated in 2015. This is a replication of the Pencerah Nusantara program run by the office of the president's special envoy for the millennium development goals (KUKPRI-MDGs). Like its sister program, Nusantara Sehat is aimed at improving the quality of primary healthcare services in Indonesia, namely at the puskesmas and integrated healthcare posts (posyandu). Diah Saminarsih, special staff at the health ministry, said the program is expected to reach out to between 1,000 to 1,500 puskesmas by the end of 2019. Like the previous program, which aimed at pushing Indonesia to achieve the MDGs, Nusantara Sehat is designed to support the national sustainable development goals (SDGs) comprising 17 targets, among them achieving good health and well-being for our citizenry, as well as eliminating starvation and providing better nutrition.
Greenpeace Indonesia Launches Air Pollution Monitoring App Jakarta Globe 13th Feb 2017
Environmental activist group Greenpeace Indonesia launched a mobile application on Tuesday (14/02) that can be used to monitor air quality. The app, known as UdaraKita, which translates to "our air," allows users to determine air pollution levels in the greater Jakarta area and several other cities in Indonesia. Despite seemingly low air pollution levels, fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns in diameter and less is known as the small killer and considered extremely dangerous, as it can cause serious respiratory diseases and even lung cancer.
Falling through the cracks Inside Indonesia 13th Feb 2017
Millions of Indonesians are unable to access the new Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (National Health Insurance) or JKN simply because they are unable to register. By relying on the inflexible civil registration system that requires citizens to register through their family, the JKN often fails to cover those who need it the most, solely as a result of poor administration.
'One day stand up, next day go home' with microsurgery The Jakarta Post 8th Feb 2017
The reputation of Indonesian medicine is not strong with many Indonesians still flying out of the country to seek medical treatment abroad. “Advancements in medical technology in the past 10 years have actually enabled today’s physicians to conduct surgery with very small incisions,” he said. This microsurgery applies the keyholesurgery technique, where surgeons perform surgery on a patient through a special microscope and endoscopic camera that can see clearly the internal structure of the brain or blood vessels. Adhesive bandages are then used instead of stitches for the incision. “The process is known as ‘one day stand up, next day go home,’ so that the terrible things about brain operations, post-surgery bleeding and paralysis have become a tale of the past,” said Agus.
Business watchdog sees unhealthy competition in pharmacy industry The Jakarta Post 13th Feb 2017
Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) chairman Syarkawi Rauf has seen a trend of unhealthy competition in the pharmacy industry. He said that 70 percent of the medicine market, worth around Rp 56 trillion (US$4.2 billion), was controlled by only a few companies. Unhealthy competition among the pharmacy companies has sparked illegal practices in which the industry directly asks doctors to recommend that their patients use their products, thus forcing patients to buy certain brands of medicine.
Malaysia
District hospitals urged to find ways to improve local public health The Malay Mail Online 12th Feb 2017
District hospitals should find innovative and effective ways to improve on the quality of local public health in securing the country’s social and economic progress. Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor said the people, especially those in the rural areas must be motivated to improve on their health quality. “One way for the people to enjoy medical services provided by the government is to organise health programmes away from the hospitals.
Rotavirus: Govt urged to protect kids with vaccine NST Online 12th Feb 2017
Medical experts have urged the government to include the rotavirus vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme (NIP) because it is the best way to protect children against the rotavirus disease. KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital consultant paediatrician and neonatologist Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin said globally, rotavirus killed 500,000 children every year, especially in Africa and Asia, and was the cause of millions of hospitalisations and clinic visits.
Myanmar
Preventing needless deaths through village health funds Frontier Myanmar 15th Feb 2017
In rural Chin State, a health committee is helping provide much needed access to finance for villagers in the event of a medical emergency. To set up a fund, the Village Health Committee must first raise its own start-up money. This is usually achieved through donations, products sold at markets and contributions from villagers. The money raised is then matched by organisations such as the K’ Cho Land Development Association for Pan Par village, or Myanmar Red Cross Society. The funds can also be used in conjunction with other mechanisms. For example, the Three Millennium Development Goal Fund (3MDG) Emergency Referral Programme aims to reduce maternal and child deaths by providing, in emergency situations, money for transportation to nearby health facilities, food during the hospital stay and some other costs, such as medicines or investigations that are not covered by the government. This creates critical linkages between different parts of the Myanmar health sector. When an emergency is highlighted by health staff, the money required can be taken directly from the village health fund and later reimbursed via 3MDG and its partners.
Better health care in remote areas under new budget Myanmar Times 13th Feb 2017
Health care for people in remote and hard to reach areas will be one of the priorities under the over K1000 billion budget allocation for health in the 2017-18 fiscal year, said Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health and Sports Professor Dr Thet Khaing Win. He said the other areas of focus under the health allocation will be the construction of new hospitals and housing for hospital staff and health workers, upgrading of facilities and medical equipment at existing hospitals and procurement of medicines.
Nationwide health reporting system to be established Eleven 8th Feb 2017
The Ministry for Health and Sports will establish a nationwide health reporting system, which will record up to date health data and monitor the outbreak of diseases. Through the National Health Project Plan (2017-2021), basic health care will be provided to the entire nation and the ministry will move from paper based projects to electronic based projects. As a result, health care providers can easily see the data of areas where they have been assigned and can therefore provide quality health care to local populations.
Health minister breaks down his spending plan Myanmar Times 2nd Feb 2017
The National League for Democracy-led government is in the process of compiling of its first-ever Union Budget Law. Under the current K20.896 trillion spending agenda, health has proposed taking a K1.077 chunk, or just over 5 percent of the total. The Union minister said of the proposed amount, K834.456 billion would come from the government coffers, while K243.432 billion would be supplied by foreign investment. Loans from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and others are expected to make up K31.503 billion of the ministry’s spending, while an additional K211.929 billion will be supplied by the UN arms.
Philippines
PH continues work with USAID despite Duterte’s tirades INQUIRER.NET 12th Feb 2017
Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s public pronouncement that the Philippines could survive without US development assistance, his administration continues to work with the US Agency for International Development (USAID). “We continue to have programs with them and no one has asked us to leave or to discontinue… We continue to work together,” said Gloria Steele, acting assistant administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Asia. In fact, the USAID team in Manila had its first meeting with its Philippine counterparts last January under the two new administrations of Mr. Duterte and US President Donald Trump.
Health groups, Quezon City govt in joint efforts to make children’s first 1,000 days better Business Mirror 6th Feb 2017
Malnutrition in children continues to be a major concern in the country, particularly during their first 1,000 days. Thus, various Philippine medical societies and private health organizations have entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the local government of Quezon City to implement nutrition-specific interventions to mothers and their infants in marginalized communities. The first 1,000 days is the period that covers conception up to a child’s second birthday and there are health risks, which are irreversible, that occur during the said period. The “First 1,000 Days Program” is a joint project of the Quezon City government, the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological Society (POGS), the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) and Kabisig ng Kalahi Inc. The pilot program will run for three years, or until September 30, 2019, with the intention to upscale the program for all Quezon City health units and their constituents.
Bill to create a drug price regulatory board INQUIRER.NET 1st Feb 2017
Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron, who happens to be a doctor of medicine, is seeking to amend Republic Act 9502, the Universal and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, to provide for the creation of a drug price regulatory board that will determine the maximum retail prices of drugs and medicines. Under Biron’s House Bill 3252, the board, attached to the Department of Health, would be expected to monitor and review implementation of RA 9502 and push for the inclusion of more drugs and medicines for common ailments into the list of products whose prices should be regulated. Biron, principal author of RA 9502, also wanted a “comprehensive review” of the implementation of the law that was meant to make medicines accessible to all. He noted that, after eight years, the law “has not yet fully attained its core objectives.”
Singapore
One in two here under private health plans The New Paper 15th Feb 2017
Health insurance remains a top priority for people here, new figures from last year show. More than 50,000 Singapore residents took out new health insurance coverage last year, primarily through Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and IP riders. As at Dec 31, 2.89 million people - about one in two people here - were covered with private health plans and riders, with total premiums of $1.42 billion. For the 12 months ended Dec 31, new health insurance premiums amounted to $241 million, of which IP premiums and IP riders accounted for about 86 per cent or $208 million. The data was disclosed by the Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA), which held its quarterly briefing yesterday.
Is technology threatening Singapore's healthcare system? Singapore Business Review 13th Feb 2017
With state-of-the-art infrastructure and a reputation for excellent medical practice, Singapore has a well-deserved reputation for first-class healthcare. Singaporeranks second in the world providing its citizens with quality healthcare, and is also a major location for medical tourism in Asia. However, Singapore’s healthcare system cannot rest on its laurels. With 610,000 people aged above 65 in 2020, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong has emphasised the need for 30,000 more healthcare workers by 2020, including doctors who specialise in geriatric medicine. To improve productivity and reduce operational costs, the government has eagerly embraced technology to provide innovative solutions to these challenges.
Thailand
How Thailand Eliminated Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Asian Scientist Magazine 15th Feb 2017
Thailand has become the first Asian country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, thanks to a pragmatic multi-sector response backed by strong political commitment and heavy government investment, a study published in Paediatrics and International Child Health reports. Such an early, concerted response allowed the country to successfully address the recommended World Health Organization (WHO) elimination strategy. As a result, MTCT rates were reduced from 20-40 percent in the mid-1990s to 1.9 percent in 2015 (surpassing the WHO elimination target of The WHO strategy focuses on the following four prongs: primary prevention of HIV in women of childbearing age; prevention of unintended pregnancies in women living with HIV; prevention of HIV transmission from an HIV-infected woman to her infant; and provision of appropriate treatment, care and support to women and children living with HIV.
Healthcare budget hit The Nation 14th Feb 2017
The growing elderly population is putting pressure on the universal healthcare scheme, forcing officials to seek fresh funding. The National Health Security Office (NHSO), which operates the scheme, has submitted a Bt164-billion budget request for the next fiscal year but ended up getting just Bt151 billion. “We have had concerns about such budget constraints,” Dr Jadej Thammatach-aree, deputy secretary-general of the NHSO, said yesterday. His office may have to request further funding later, he said.
Thailand Puts Increased Focus On Clinical Trials Clinical Leader 7th Feb 2017
For countries hoping to see greater gains in healthcare innovation and economic prosperity, growing the clinical research industry is one way to achieve both goals. Thailand now seems to be an emerging country for trials, as it is a primary gateway into Asia and a central player in the region. Additionally, Thailand now has a world-class infrastructure, a universal healthcare system, and national policies that support a developing clinical research industry. And a new report shows the country is well positioned to pursue further growth in the clinical research industry.
Universal healthcare failing most vulnerable The Nation 4th Feb 2017
Dr Samrit Srithamrongsawat, a community health researcher from Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital, announced the findings during a focus group seminar on universal health coverage, as part of the Prince Mahidol Award Conference 2017. He said the study, sponsored by the Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI), investigated community health projects for vulnerable groups in Umphang in Tak, Ubolrat in Khon Kaen, Dansai in Loei, Khon Buri in Nakhon Ratchasima, Kuchinarai in Kalasin, Lam Sonthi in Lop Buri, Kongra in Phatthalung and Khlong Klung in Kamphaeng Phet. “The study found vulnerable people face greater health risks than ordinary people and limited access to treatment. Although Thailand has universal health coverage, policy still has loopholes. Vulnerable people still cannot access what the state provides through this policy,” Samrit said. Dr Borwornsom Leerapan, who was on the research team, said vulnerable groups had at least two out of three characteristics. The first group were marginalised people, such as the poor, stateless or tribal minorities, migrant workers, orphans, sex workers, drug addicts or former convicts.
King Mongkut’s University making its mark with medical research The Nation 4th Feb 2017
“Our Smart Lab has enjoyed increasing recognition in the [medical] industry,” Asst Prof Anak Khantachawana said in his capacity as KMUTT assistant president for internationalisation. Late last year, the Smart Lab at KMUTT Faculty of Engineering grabbed six awards for its research-based innovations – three from the 12th Taipei International Invention Show & Technomart and the rest from the 10th International Warsaw Invention Show. One of the awards was for enhancing materials for internal fixations through fine shot peening techniques.
Vietnam
Ministry warns of foot and mouth disease spread vietnamnews.vn 15th Feb 2017
The Ministry of Health has asked people across the country to take protective measures against hand, foot, and mouth disease after data from the ministry’s General Department of Preventive Medicine showed that over 2,100 people had contracted the disease in 57 localities this year. Nonetheless, the total number of cases is still 38.6 per cent lower than in the same period last year. Most of the cases were recorded in the south, the department said. In HCM City, more than 30 people fell ill during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays.
Health Ministry to inspect State-owned hospitals vietnamnews.vn 6th Feb 2017
The Ministry of Health plans to look into health check-ups and treatments offered at public hospitals this year so as to ensure equal fees are charged at all facilities. The ministry will also inspect tenders and purchases of medicines, medical equipment and materials at National Hospital of Odonto and Stomotology in HCM City, National Institute of Ophthalmology in Hà Nội and Việt Nam-Sweden Uông Bí Hospital in northern Quảng Ninh Province. Next week, the health and finance ministries will meet to discuss a draft circular on the framework of health check-up and treatment costs at public hospitals. The circular is scheduled to be issued in the first quarter of this year to avoid differences in check-up fees at different hospitals.
Vietnam plans to digitize healthcare cards VnExpress International 8th Feb 2017
The electronic system will also make insurance payments faster and more transparent. Vietnam plans to issue electronic health security cards to its citizens verifying their right to medical services, the Government Office said on Monday. Just as a social security card shows that a person has a lifetime account used to calculate their pension benefits, the healthcare security card will make it more convenient for patients to access insurance plans and health care.
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