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Amid the global race to end the pandemic, we must PUTTING e winning start-ups have access
to the state-of-the-art HIH at
continue to prioritise non-communicable diseases Sunway iLabs as a testbed for their
(NCDs) – both a risk factor for COVID-19 and the solutions, as well as resources across
Sunway Group’s ecosystem of 13
leading cause of death around the world. TO KILLER business divisions and global partners.
NON-COMMUNICABLE
e start-ups can also tap into
N on-communicable diseases e burden of NCDs a ects mainly A STOPDISEASES (NCDS) AstraZeneca’s A.Catalyst Network of
innovation
health
hubs,
global
(NCDs) are the top cause of developing countries, where 82% of
connecting them with the talent
mortality and disability premature death through NCDs occur.
worldwide, accounting for 71% of and expertise from di erent hubs
around the globe.
deaths around the world. Skyrocketing healthcare expenditures, Tapping into the global “HIH will also help position Sunway Accelerating market-
breadwinners losing their jobs, and UNDP noted that NCDs are mostly e partnership is in line with the City Kuala Lumpur as a living driven healthtech Van Leeuwen said it is of utmost

Every year, 41 million people die from children dropping out of school to care preventable as they are largely caused innovation pool Malaysian government’s call for digital importance that the public and private
NCDs such as heart disease, cancer, for sick family members or to work and by behavioural risk factors that can be innovation in the healthcare sector, laboratory, forming a part of the solutions sector come together to solve huge
chronic respiratory illness, and make up for lost wages, are among the changed. Among the risk factors for Digital health technology may hold the with HIH set to empower local sustainable smart city ecosystem that societal problems that a ect mankind.
start-ups and innovators to deliver
engenders research and innovation
diabetes. is includes 15 million ways NCDs contribute to poverty and NCDs include unhealthy diet, tobacco answer to achieving the UN-SDG No new, sustainable solutions to bolster aimed at solving real-world problems From digital therapeutics for chronic
‘premature deaths’ between the ages of impede sustainable development. usage, physical inactivity, and harmful 3.4 of “reducing by one-third premature disease management, to a blockchain “I believe that this initiative is a great
30 and 69 years. use of alcohol. Environmental risks mortality from NCDs through the treatment of NCDs and support in real time,” Cheah added. platform for medical records – these example on how we can accelerate
According to ‘ e Impact of such as air pollution and limited access prevention and treatment by 2030”. the patient experience from the are some of the winning ideas borne by market-driven healthcare innovations

According to the World Health Non-communicable Diseases and to basic healthcare services also primary care level. Sunway Group chief innovation o cer Malaysian-based start-ups for the from talented entrepreneurs by
and Sunway iLabs director Matt Van
Organization (WHO)’s 2019 Global eir Risk Factors on Malaysia’s Gross contribute to NCDs. Playing its part in achieving this SDG, As the primary-care level remains the Leeuwen said the HIH was Digital Health Innovation Challenge. leveraging corporate testbeds and
Health Estimates study, NCDs now Domestic Product’ report released by Sunway University, via innovation arm international networks,” Van Leeuwen
make up seven of the top ten causes of MOH and WHO last year, NCDs cost Reducing the risk factors of NCDs will Sunway Innovation Labs (Sunway rst point of contact for most patients well-aligned to Sunway iLabs’ vision of Launched by AstraZeneca, in said.
death globally, with heart disease being the Malaysian economy an estimated save lives and lift the countries’ iLabs) has signed a Memorandum in Malaysia, introducing innovation becoming ASEAN’s leading integrated collaboration with Sunway iLabs,
the biggest killer over the last 20 years. RM8.91 billion – about 0.65% of the economic development. of Understanding (MoU) with and digital technology early in the innovation platform that inspires the Embassy of Sweden, Business “Realising the 17 United Nations
people to design, test and launch
patient journey will reach a larger pool
Deaths by heart disease more than country’s gross domestic product global biopharmaceutical company of patients, enabling them to play an sustainable solutions for a better Sweden, Malaysia Digital Economy Sustainable Development Goals
quadrupled from two million in 2000 (GDP). Better management of NCDs – early AstraZeneca to establish the rst Corporation (MDEC), and Malaysian (UN-SDGs) is not the responsibility
to almost nine million in 2019. detection, screening, and timely Health Innovation Hub (HIH) in active role in managing their own future. Global Innovation & Creativity Centre of governments alone. Building a
e economic cost was estimated from treatment of the diseases – and Malaysia. healthcare. (MaGIC), the challenge doubled as a sustainable future requires the
Malaysia is no exception, with NCDs productivity losses due to absenteeism, providing access to palliative care, will “ e number of Malaysians a ected by “As part of the HIH, Sunway iLabs catalyst for the development of new commitment of all elements of society
will work closely with Sunway
accounting for two-thirds of deaths, presenteeism in the workplace – help to control NCDs and reduce the Under the partnership, Malaysia’s hub non-communicable diseases is rising University, Sunway Medical Centre, patient-centric solutions, as well as a – the private sector, academia, civil
and a rising number of patients working while sick – and the need for costlier treatment, said WHO. becomes a part of AstraZeneca’s platform for local innovators to society, and, of course, every single
su ering from NCDs presenting a premature death of the local working A.Catalyst Network, bringing together each year and with the COVID-19 and SunSEA Capital to accelerate showcase their work and potentially individual. We are all in this together,”
major challenge to the local healthcare age population, based on data from digital, R&D and commercial pandemic, a ected patients are now R&D and commercialisation e orts in draw investments from investors. said Cheah.
system, according to the National 2017. State-of-the-art resources to improve patient outcomes. exposed to even higher risks,” said the digital health sector. Together with
AstraZeneca, we look forward to
Sunway Group founder and chairman
Health and Morbidity Survey 2019. technology, 3 Tesla (3T) CoBlix, Cyhen, DATA8, Fitxcapes,
Meanwhile, intangible costs of NCDs Magnetic Resonance rough the A.Catalyst Network, Tan Sri Dr Je rey Cheah at the launch driving healthcare solutions and Mimosa and Naluri emerged as
Governments must rapidly ramp up such as disability and loss of healthy Imaging (MRI) scanner is AstraZeneca is co-creating challenge- of HIH on 8 April. innovations that will impact lives,” said winners of the challenge, after
the prevention, diagnosis, and life years, were estimated to be around available at all Sunway based solutions with and for patients, Van Leeuwen. showcasing their innovative healthtech
treatment of NCDs, said WHO RM100.79 billion or 7.35% of GDP, Medical Centres and working with partners to establish solutions for NCD challenges to a
Director-General Tedros Adhanom the report noted. nationwide. integrated healthcare systems that panel of judges comprising industry
Ghebreyesus in a statement. e bene t the whole patient experience — leaders and domain experts.
urgency is intensi ed during the from prevention and awareness,
pandemic, as people with NCDs are diagnosis and treatment to post-
more likely to become severely ill and treatment and wellness.
succumb to COVID-19.
e Malaysian hub is the tenth hub
In Malaysia, about 87% of those who launched in Emerging Markets,
have died from COVID-19 had together with the hubs located in
pre-existing conditions such as diabetes Russia, Brazil, Argentina, India,
and hypertension, according to the Singapore, and Gulf Cooperation
Ministry of Health gures as of Council (GCC) countries, as well
November 2020. as Mainland China, Taiwan, and
Hong Kong.
NCDs Challenge
Sustainable Develop-
Ignoring NCDs places a signi cant
burden on healthcare systems and
poses a challenge to sustainable
development, said the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).

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