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Malaysia Faces a Sharp Rise in Heart and Kidney Disease

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Alpro Group, with support from Boehringer Ingelheim, launches Jaga CarDia to encourage early screening and prevention

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 November 2025 – Every day, an average of 55 Malaysians lose their lives to heart disease, many in their prime working years (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2022). At the same time, millions are unknowingly living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In response to this silent but escalating health crisis, Alpro Group, with support from Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in non-communicable disease management, has launched “Jaga CarDia”, a nationwide subsidised early-detection programme. The initiative aims to empower 5,000 Malaysians on long-term medication to screen for early signs of heart, kidney, and liver damage before these conditions become irreversible.

(From left: Ph Lim En Ni (Chief Pharmacist and Engagement Director of Alpro Group); Dr. Kam San Dhit (Family Doctor & Clinic Manager of Alpro Clinic); Mr Cheong Yee Kok (General Manager & Head of Human Pharma of Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia); Ms Angie H’ng Ai Ai (Head of Therapeutic Area Franchise in Customer Relationship Management of Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia); Dr Jamal Malik (Head of Medicine of Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia)

The Jaga CarDia initiative offers essential blood tests that provide a comprehensive overview of an individual’s heart, kidney, liver, and nutritional health, covering over 70 important health indicators, all available at a subsidized rate of RM 100 for two persons for the essential blood screening package.The family-oriented approach encourages the public to take charge of their health together. By shifting focus from treatment to prevention, Alpro Group and Boehringer Ingelheim aim to cultivate long-term awareness about early detection as the first line of defence against serious complications such as heart failure, stroke, and dialysis.

Recent data paint a concerning picture of Malaysia’s heart and kidney health. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), ischaemic heart disease remained the country’s leading cause of death in 2022, accounting for 16.1 percent of all medically certified deaths (20,322 cases) (DOSM, 2023). Alarmingly, a significant share of these deaths occurred among individuals below the age of 60, highlighting that younger Malaysians are increasingly at risk.

At the same time, a study published in BMC Nephrology found that 15.5 percent of Malaysian adults, over five million people, are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet only a small fraction are aware of their condition (Ho et al., 2020). Together, these findings reveal a silent but accelerating epidemic of chronic diseases affecting Malaysia’s working-age population, and underline the urgent need for early detection and prevention.

“Early detection is the foundation of better health outcomes. At Alpro Clinic, we see many patients who come to us only when their conditions have already progressed, often when symptoms become impossible to ignore,” said Dr Ng Ming Lee, Medical Director of Alpro Clinic. “With Jaga CarDia, we want to change that narrative by helping Malaysians take the first step towards understanding their health before it’s too late. Through this initiative, we are bringing together the expertise of our family doctors, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals to provide a simple, affordable and accessible way for individuals to assess their heart, kidney, liver and nutritional health. Our hope is to make preventive screening a part of every household’s health routine so that families can take charge of their wellbeing together, long before diseases become life-threatening.”

Mr Cheong Yee Kok, General Manager/Head of Human Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia added:
“At Boehringer Ingelheim, we’ve made cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM) diseases a major focus, not just in Malaysia, but around the world. We’re working to ensure people get the help they need early, before things get serious. Our collaboration with Alpro Group reflects that shared belief: that early detection and continuous monitoring are just as vital as treatment itself. This partnership also aligns with our upcoming Sihat Sama-Sama campaign, a nationwide effort to promote preventive health and early screening under our sustainability framework, Sustainable Development for Generations — for the benefit of patients, people, and the planet.”

The name “Jaga CarDia” holds a meaningful message. In Malay, “Jaga” means “to care”, while “CarDia” reflects the vital connection between the heart (cardio), diabetes, and kidney health. Together, the name embodies a holistic and integrated approach to chronic-disease prevention.

Under the programme, health screenings will be available at all Alpro Clinic outlets nationwide. Each participant will receive personalised guidance from Alpro’s multidisciplinary team of pharmacists, family doctors, and health professionals, who will help interpret results and advise on next steps.

More than a one-off test, Jaga CarDia serves as a personalised health journey by helping Malaysians understand how their medication, diet, and lifestyle choices affect their heart, kidney, and overall wellbeing.

Eligible Malaysians, especially those on long-term medication for conditions such as hypertension or diabetes, are encouraged to register at https://bit.ly/JagaCarDiaBloodScreening and schedule their appointment at any Alpro Clinic nationwide. For more information, participants can inquire at the nearest Alpro Pharmacy.

For just RM 100 for two people, participants gain early insight into the state of their heart, kidney, liver, and nutritional health, empowering them to take preventive action before silent damage turns into serious disease. After all, the absence of symptoms doesn’t always mean good health, it may simply mean the body hasn’t spoken yet. Listen early, act early, and let early detection protect you and the ones you love.

Hashtag: #AlproGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Alpro Group

Founded in 2002, Alpro Group’s ecosystem has grown to include Alpro Pharmacy, Apotek Alpro, Alpro スギ (Sugi) Pharmacy, Alpro Physio, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Baby, Alpro OptiSaver and Alpro Audiology. Supported by a team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians, physiotherapists, optometrist and many others, Alpro serves over 5 million families in Malaysia and Indonesia through its extensive network of 500 physical outlets.
Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the region to offer product liability insurance of MYR 1 million in Malaysia and IDR 3 billion in Indonesia, ensuring the supply of genuine medications and enhancing consumer trust.

With the vision of a healthy and vibrant world, Alpro Group aims to become the No. 1 prescription pharmacy chain in Southeast Asia.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is a biopharmaceutical company active in both human and animal health. As one of the industry’s top investors in research and development, the company focuses on developing innovative therapies that can improve and extend lives in areas of high unmet medical need. Independent since its foundation in 1885, Boehringer takes a long-term perspective, embedding sustainability along the entire value chain. Our approximately 54,500 employees serve over 130 markets to build a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow. Learn more at .

MLR: MPR-MY-100236

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Global Wellness Forum 2026 Set for June 23 in Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia’s Nutraceutical Industry Embarks on Next-Gen Transformation

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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2026 – Malaysia’s wellness market is moving beyond traditional competition over ingredients, dosage, and pricing toward product-format experience, sustained use, and differentiated innovation. The Global Wellness Consumer & Product Trends Forum 2026 will hold a forum on June 23, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur. Under the theme “Defining the Next Generation of Health Industry,” the event will bring together Malaysian trade associations, leading distribution channels, and Taiwanese R&D teams to jointly explore market opportunities.

As a core component, James Pereira, general manager of MADSA, will share insights on Malaysian health industry regulations. Adrian Toh, CEO & Executive Director of R Pharmacy, will provide frontline retail channel observations regarding shifting consumer demands. Alex Liao, General Manager of Welbloom Bio-Tech, will represent Taiwan to share how format innovation effectively responds to brand differentiation, consumption experiences, and market compliance needs.

Faced with brands’ attention toward differentiated experiences, Welbloom Bio-Tech will showcase its proprietary, Halal-certified FRESH-Jelly® technology on-site, demonstrating the innovative application to make supplements more food-like. Through ingredient payload capacities, zero- or low-sugar designs, and customized flavor development, FRESH-Jelly® allows supplements to maintain functionality while becoming more enjoyable to consume regularly, providing Malaysian brands with a distinctive option beyond capsules and tablets.

With the rapid rise of Malaysia’s wellness consumer market, its mature distribution channels and exceptional potential for regional expansion are accelerating the country’s growth as a critical hub for the Southeast Asian health industry. Welbloom Bio-Tech states that this forum is a bridging platform connecting Taiwan’s manufacturing capabilities with Malaysian market insights, aiming to unlock commercially viable partnerships for both regions.

The event is organized by The PAGE, co-organized by Welbloom Bio-Tech and SEAbizs, and supported by NTBSA, MATRADE, R Pharmacy, and MADSA.

Event Information】
Time: June 23, 2026, 09:30 – 14:00
Venue: The Zenith – Connexion Conference & Event Centre, Kuala Lumpur

Hashtag: #WelbloomBioTech

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Welbloom Bio-Tech

Welbloom Bio-Tech focuses on health supplement R&D, manufacturing, and dosage form innovation. Through forward-looking market foresight and robust R&D technologies, it provides one-stop services from formulation design and flavor development to manufacturing, assisting clients in Malaysia and Singapore to build highly competitive health supplements.

To learn more, please search “Welbloom” or click the link:

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Doing Good Index 2026: Asia’s US$753 Billion Philanthropic Potential Remains Unrealized

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In the 2026 edition of its flagship policy report the Doing Good Index, the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) finds that Asia’s capacity to deploy private capital for social good is not keeping pace with its potential.

  • Asia’s social sector is under strain: 78% of the 2,166 social delivery organizations (SDOs) surveyed report insufficient domestic funding.
  • Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions for wealth creation, yet the policies and incentives needed to channel it toward social good are not keeping pace.
  • Singapore has become the first economy to enter the “Doing Excellent” category, demonstrating what alignment across regulations, tax incentives, government partnerships and efforts to create a culture of giving can achieve.
  • 84% of Asian SDOs surveyed apply the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their operations, pointing to their enduring value as a shared framework for coordination and collective action beyond 2030.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2026 – Asia’s social needs are intensifying, and official development assistance is declining. Yet, while the region’s wealth is growing dramatically, the policies, incentives and partnerships needed to channel private capital toward social good are not keeping pace. That is a key finding of the Doing Good Index 2026, the fifth edition of CAPS’s flagship policy report, which assesses the enabling environment for private social investment across 17 Asian economies.

The report finds that while the enabling environment for private social investment is in place across much of the region, its effectiveness remains uneven. Improvements in registration processes and accountability mechanisms have been accompanied by persistent barriers, including restrictions on foreign funding, regulatory complexity, and inconsistent government engagement. In many cases, policies exist on paper but are not fully implemented in practice, limiting their impact.

At the same time, although trust in SDOs remains high across the region, broader ecosystem conditions, such as media sentiment, talent pipelines, and institutional support, are showing signs of strain. 81% of SDOs struggle to secure unrestricted funds for their work, while 73% report difficulty recruiting staff, constraining the sector’s ability to turn trust into impact.

“Asia has the wealth, the will, and in many economies, the foundations of a strong enabling environment. What is needed now is concerted, aligned effort to bring them together. The potential is enormous,” said Ruth Shapiro, Co-Founder and CEO, Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society.

Unlocking Asia’s US$753 Billion Philanthropic Potential

Even as Asia’s wealth continues to grow, the region faces significant and intensifying challenges across climate, education and health. Official development assistance is declining, and there is increasing pressure on domestic resources at precisely the moment demand for social services is rising.

If Asian economies were to contribute just 2% of GDP to philanthropy, as the United States does, it could generate an estimated US$753 billion annually for social good. That represents 15 times the official development assistance flowing into the region, and almost half the financing needed to hit the UN’s SDGs in Asia. But realizing that potential depends on strengthening the policies, incentives and partnerships that enable private capital to flow toward social good. The Doing Good Index 2026 finds that across much of Asia, those conditions are not yet in place.

“The world has changed dramatically, and Asia can no longer rely on others to address its social challenges. The Doing Good Index 2026 shows the region has the potential to meet this moment, but only if governments and philanthropists act together to build the conditions that make it possible,” said Ronnie Chan, Chairman, Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society.

Singapore Shows What Alignment Can Achieve
Singapore has, for the first time, entered the top “Doing Excellent” category in the Doing Good Index 2026, reflecting years of deliberate effort to build a strong culture of philanthropy and civic engagement. Clear regulations, generous tax incentives, openness to foreign funding, and close collaboration between government and the social sector have created a strong enabling environment.

Singapore’s achievement demonstrates that when regulations, fiscal policy, ecosystem conditions and procurement work in concert, the outcomes are stronger. While no two economies will follow the same path, Singapore’s experience highlights the conditions that matter, such as the active promotion and alignment of philanthropy and giving across the whole of society.

The SDGs: Falling Short but Still Relevant in Asia
In the run-up to 2030, global progress toward the SDGs has fallen short of ambition, and Asia is no exception. Yet the Doing Good Index 2026 finds that 84% of SDOs continue to apply the SDGs in their work. Further, the rise of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting has not displaced them, because most SDOs see the two frameworks as complementary rather than competing.

As the deadline approaches, the Index points to their enduring value not as a target but as a shared framework for strategy, coordination and collective action in the years ahead.

Other Findings from the Report

  • Talent shortages persist for Asia’s social sector: more than 70% of SDOs face difficulty recruiting and retaining staff across Asia.
  • AI adoption is happening, but usage remains limited: only 13% of surveyed SDOs report using AI regularly.
  • 39% of SDOs say claiming tax benefits is difficult, suggesting administrative barriers may be limiting the impact of existing incentives for giving.

Hashtag: #CAPS #DoingGood #PrivateCapital #PublicGood #Philanthropy #Impact

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Doing Good Index

Released biennially and now in its fifth edition, the Doing Good Index is CAPS’s flagship policy research that assesses the enabling environment for doing good in Asia: the systems, policies and practices that facilitate or constrain philanthropic giving and the deployment of this capital.

CAPS’s research team surveyed 2,166 social delivery organizations (SDOs) and conducted 132 interviews with sector experts across 17 Asian economies to provide a comparative, evidence-based view of where environments are supportive, where gaps persist, and how systems can be strengthened to better mobilize private resources for public good.

The Index looks at indicators under four sub-indexes: regulations, tax and fiscal policy, ecosystem, and government procurement, which provide an understanding of the specific measures economies have taken to catalyze philanthropic giving and promote social sector development.

Since its inception, the Index has been an essential resource for policymakers, philanthropists, and nonprofit leaders seeking to understand and improve the conditions for giving across the region.

For more information, and visit .

About the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS)

Established in 2013 and working across more than 17 economies in Asia, the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quantity and quality of philanthropic and private giving throughout Asia. Our mission is to maximize private capital for public good, conducting research, advisory, convening and capacity building to engage philanthropists, foundations, family offices, corporates, government bodies, social sector organizations and experts on best practices, models, policies and strategies to facilitate private giving and social investment in the region. For more information, visit and .

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Frost & Sullivan White Paper Names Phancy Rise vGPU a Tier 1 Leading Platform

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Rise vGPU + ModelHub Power China’s AI into the Heterogeneous Orchestration Era

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 June 2026 – Frost & Sullivan, a globally renowned growth consulting firm, has released its “2026 AI Infrastructure Orchestration Platform White Paper”. The report recognizes Phancy Group’s Rise vGPU as a Tier 1 Leading Platform, the highest maturity tier in heterogeneous GPU orchestration. Phancy’s ModelHub also achieved the highest Overall Score in the enterprise-grade model management platform evaluation. This marks a significant endorsement of Phancy’s technological capability in heterogeneous AI infrastructure.

According to the white paper, as large model applications scale rapidly, China’s AI industry is facing structural challenges stemming from multi-chip coexistence. These include hardware heterogeneity, fragmented software stacks, persistently low GPU utilization (generally below 30%), and rising model adaptation complexity — all of which have become major bottlenecks for enterprise-scale AI deployment.

The report highlights a fundamental shift in AI infrastructure competitiveness – moving away from “single-chip performance” toward “cluster-scale system coordination.” At this critical juncture, Phancy has positioned itself as a leader in advanced orchestration through its full-stack AI infrastructure platform, offering a proven solution to heterogeneous compute challenges and helping drive China’s AI industry from “compute accumulation” into a new era of “compute orchestration.”

Phancy Rise vGPU: Tier 1 Leading Platform

In its assessment of mainstream AI infrastructure platforms, Frost & Sullivan defined Tier 1 criteria across three core dimensions: heterogeneous support, fine-grained control, and production-grade execution. Phancy Rise vGPU meets all three standards and has been recognized as a Tier 1 Leading Platform.

Rise vGPU transforms AI infrastructure from fragmented, low-efficiency device-level management to a unified software-defined control plane. Its key technology breakthroughs include:

  • Comprehensive Heterogeneous Management: Unified onboarding and management across more than 10 mainstream GPU/NPU vendors, including NVIDIA, Ascend, Cambricon, Hygon, and others.
  • Ultra-Fine Resource Partitioning: Industry-leading sub-GPU level compute and MB-level memory granularity slicing.
  • Significant Utilization Improvement: Through safe oversubscription and time/space multiplexing, GPU utilization is increased from industry averages below 30% to 70%-90%.
  • Intelligent Precision Scheduling: Multi-dimensional scheduling algorithms based on priority, topology, load, and resource awareness to achieve optimal compute allocation.
  • Production-Grade SLA Assurance: The Deterministic Execution Layer delivers committed and auditable SLA guarantees for critical inference workloads.
  • Full Lifecycle Operability: Comprehensive monitoring, metering, and cost allocation capabilities that turn GPU resources into truly operable digital assets.

Model Hub: Highest Overall Score in Model Management Platform Evaluation

Beyond compute orchestration, the report underscores the strategic importance of enterprise-grade model management platforms. As a powerful complement to Rise vGPU, Phancy ModelHub enables enterprises to build a complete full-stack AI infrastructure — from compute to models and from resource scheduling to business delivery.

The white paper notes that Phancy ModelHub delivers leading performance in key areas such as Model & Chip Compatibility, Execution Stability & Performance, and Model-GPU Coordination & Scheduling, achieving the highest Overall Score. Through its unified model management and execution platform, ModelHub creates a seamless closed-loop process covering model onboarding, deployment optimization, inference services, and version governance — significantly lowering the barrier to model deployment and accelerating AI innovation.

Dr. Dai Wenyuan, Founder & CEO of Phancy, said: “The Frost & Sullivan white paper accurately captures the inflection point in AI infrastructure development. The recognition of Rise vGPU as a Tier 1 Leading Platform and ModelHub’s top Overall Score provide important authoritative validation of Phancy’s technology strategy and product strength. As a full-stack AI cloud service platform, Phancy believes the next wave of competitiveness in the AI industry will come from systematic improvements in compute orchestration efficiency. We will continue to focus on heterogeneous compute unified scheduling and model ecosystem operations, working closely with customers and industry partners to advance China’s AI industry from ‘compute accumulation’ to a true ‘compute orchestration’ era.”

Hashtag: #PhancyGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Phancy Group

Phancy Group (6682.HK) is a leading full-stack AI cloud services platform, providing comprehensive solutions for the AI 2.0 era. Our offerings include Rise vGPU, ModelHub and SageAIOS, delivering efficient and scalable AI infrastructure with end-to-end capabilities. We provide a complete solution from heterogeneous compute resource management and optimization to the deployment of intelligent agent models. These solutions empower digital transformation across a wide range of industries, supporting our vision of building a large-scale and efficient “Token Factory.”

Guided by the mission of “AI for Everyone” and positioned as the “Navigator of AI,” Phancy Group is committed to becoming a global leader in Artificial General Intelligence.

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