THE HEALTH | AUGUST , 2021

He previously held the position as HWGB Group Managing Director and CEO .

The company said in a statement , the appointment of Lim will help spearhead the group ’ s next phase of transformation in what was described as “ a new digitalisation era for HWGB Group ”.

Under Lim ’ s leadership , HWGB Group will pivot away from the reliance on the traditional business model into the digital transformation for the group by injecting digital innovation into HWGB Group ’ s portfolio of businesses .

MALAYSIA ’ S LARGEST prescription pharmacy chain , Alpro Pharmacy , recently launched its e-pharmacy service to allow the public to seek doctor ’ s or pharmacists ’ consultation and purchase prescribed medications online .

Rapidly adapting its service to help the community in dealing with the unprecedented demands of the Covid-19 pandemic , Alpro has been active in the online environment ; delivering essential counselling , sharing valuable medical information and supplying medicines to patients and local communities through the official e-commerce platform , Alpro One Click ( alprooneclick . com ). It is backed by a dedicated team of professionals

Throughout his professional career , Lim has consistently executed high level transactions resulting in extraordinary returns for shareholders .

Lim is also the non-executive nonindependent director of Fintech Bank Limited , a bank incorporated in Labuan and licensed under the Labuan Financial Services and Security Act 2010 , offering commercial banking powered by industry leading banking technology and is a digital asset friendly bank .

He also serves as Senior Advisor of Hamilton Reserve Bank , a regulated leading bank duly licensed in the Federation of St . Kitts , offering a wide range of private banking , business banking solutions in 10 different

DPI Holdings Bhd is cautiously optimistic of continuing on its double-digit growth trajectory as it leverages on the opportunities from disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic , says its Deputy Managing Director Adam Chai .

The Tangkak , Johor-based listed aerosol spray paint manufacturer has seen stellar financial results , with its net profit jumping 85 per cent year-on-year ( y-o-y ) to RM9.8 million , while revenue rose 37.6 per cent to RM47.8 million for the nine months ended Feb 28 , 2021 .

“ The pandemic has caused disruptions in global supply chains , namely , shipment delays and production uncertainties . As a result , there is increasing preference from international brand owners in Asia Pacific to choose alternative supply chain channels . These products used

to be largely manufactured in Europe and China . Now , they are seeking options to obtain supply from Malaysia ,” he told StarBizWeek recently .

In its 2020 Annual Report , DPI stated that it was establishing a range of cleaning and sanitisation products and has started producing anti-bacterial disinfectant spray . Adam explained that the group is looking to increase its sanitisation product range , although it has not started contributing significantly to its margins .

Regarding the lockdowns and movement restrictions , Adam says business operations have been affected in terms of on-site marketing activities such as roadshows , exhibitions and events having to be put on hold or postponed , while the construction of its new factory has also slowed down .

Still , he pointed out that the

Covid-19 pandemic had also presented an opportunity for DPI to relook at how it needed to digitise and automate operations to improve efficiencies .

The group has 142 employees , and half of them have served for 20 to 30 years .

“ With the wealth of experience , we have heaps of data that can be organised to transform how we can work and communicate better . For digitisation , internally we have adopted Google Workspace , HR Management System and we are looking at more ( systems ).

“ Externally , our marketing activities are more active online through social media platforms and we have established an e-commerce presence through Shopee and Alibaba platforms .”

On June 4 , DPI proposed a one-fortwo bonus issue and the exercise is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021 .

comprising doctors , pharmacists , nutritionists and dietitians .

“ Following the recent spike in the number of Covid-19 cases reported in the country , we felt the e-pharmacy would make it easier for the public to consult a doctor , get a prescription and buy their medications by staying at home instead ,” said Lee Yin Chen , Alpro ’ s Director of Branding , Promotion and Trade Marketing .

Alpro has been actively serving

currencies across 150 countries .

Lim has decades of experience in business development , M & A , capital origination , business valuation , strategic planning , and investment banking , as well as more than 25 years of experience serving in directorship and senior leadership positions in both private and public companies in the Asia Pacific region .

He was the former Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange .

Lim is the son of Dato ’ Lim Hui Boon , the Group President of the company , and the brother of Lim Wee Kiat , the Executive Director .

the community through the various phases of Movement Control Order ( MCO ) since last year and the pharmacy chain has specifically been introducing new services to continue supporting those who need medical attention or help .

“ We hope to continue leveraging on our wide online reach and network of over 140 outlets nationwide to drive a positive impact in the society .

“ The indefinite nature of the pandemic has meant that we now have to work overtime to stay engaged with the public , be it through public awareness sharing on social media or via live chats on Facebook Messenger to answer medical-related queries ,” said Lee .

IT APPEARS that Malaysians may not fully understand diabetes and its resultant health complications , as the first ever Malaysian Diabetes Index ( MDI ) revealed this .

The MDI is a survey conceived to measure the level of awareness and understanding of diabetes in Malaysia under the Beyond Sugar campaign – a community initiative supported by AstraZeneca in partnership with the Malaysian Endocrine & Metabolic Society ( MEMS ).

More than half ( 52 per cent ) of respondents revealed that they do not know that diabetes cannot be cured , while 51 per cent think that diabetes is not difficult to manage . What ’ s more startling is that about one in three respondents ( 37 per cent ) with diabetes do not know what the abnormal blood sugar level readings are .

When it comes to diabetes complications , amputation is top-of-mind as 95 per cent are aware that it can happen to someone with diabetes . Interestingly , while heart complications are the deadliest out of all , they happen to be the least known ( 75 per cent ). Other complications include eye damage ( 93 per cent ), kidney damage ( 90 per cent ), and nerve damage ( 84 per cent ).

“ We are very proud to be a part of the Malaysian Diabetes Index survey with AstraZeneca . Year after year , we have seen more diabetes cases emerge , but the sense of urgency seems to be tepid ,” said Professor Dr Chan Siew Pheng , Senior Consultant Endocrinologist and President of Malaysian Endocrine & Metabolic Society ( MEMS ).

With the limited awareness levels on diabetes , AstraZeneca has taken yet another step forward to launch the Beyond Sugar campaign , a public awareness initiative in partnership with MEMS . As its name implies , the campaign aims to educate the public that diabetes is not just about sugar alone and that managing blood sugar levels solely will not prevent other related health complications .

“ The Beyond Sugar campaign enables us to reach out to the masses with vital information that empower people to be more informed on diabetes and to consult their physicians for MRF screening for early diagnosis .

“ Our collaboration with MEMS will enable us to address the awareness gaps through the Beyond Sugar campaign while our TakeCareofMe flagship diabetes programme supports MRF diagnostics at the primary care level for the prevention of complications related to diabetes ,” said Dr . Sanjeev Panchal , Country President , AstraZeneca Malaysia . — The Health