JANUARY-FEBRUARY , 2022 | THE HEALTH

DUE TO the delay in Pharmaniaga Berhad ’ s delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine in April , May and June , the government paid a premium price of between 16.78 and 18.12 per cent to obtain a portion of Sinovac ’ s finished product .

In its report on the Covid-19 vaccine procurement , the Public Accounts Committee ( PAC ) stated that the government delivered the vaccines to recipients as soon as possible during the period covered by the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme .

“ The government should stick to the prices agreed upon in the beginning .

“ PAC , on the other hand , was pleased with the coordination between the Ministry of Science ,

THE MARGMA FOUNDATION has allocated RM500,000 to help 500 Bandar Tun Razak families receive fresh food weekly through Think City ’ s Bakul K2K ( Kita-untuk-Kita ) platform . The foundation was set up by the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association ( MARGMA ).

Think City , an urban impact organisation dedicated to making cities more liveable , resilient , and sustainable , has launched the Bakul K2K platform , which sells fresh food baskets at low and affordable prices to selected low-income housing communities in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor .

To kickstart the launch of Bakul K2K , a community event called Hari Pengenalan Bakul K2K was held and officiated by Bandar Tun Razak Member of

Technology and Innovation ( Mosti ), the Ministry of Health , the Ministry of Finance , and other agencies in implementing the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme .

“ Due to a lack of funds , the government could not make a strategic bet on producers for early bookings in the absence of clinical data . This was one of the reasons Malaysia was not able to procure the vaccines earlier ,” said the report presented to Parliament on Dec 1 , 2021 .

According to the PAC , producers ’ vaccines that were not delivered on time contributed to the delays and uncertainty in vaccination appointments .

It also noted that the RM3 billion Covid-19 Fund allocation announced in the 2021 Budget was not included in the overall budget of RM322.5 billion . It said the vaccines were procured in accordance with the Finance Ministry ’ s financial procedures .

It found the government ’ s vaccine procurement prices in various portfolios to be ‘ satisfactory ’ and reasonable .

The allocation for NIP increased from RM3 billion in the 2021 Budget to RM5.8 billion .

many have limited understanding and knowledge that this transition period to adulthood is very stressful . What we as a community need to do is to empower youth with the knowledge and skills ,” said Prof Dr Philip George , advisor of Mind Matters Network in a statement .

The book is available for free to reach as many youths as possible , and a Bahasa Malaysia version is in the pipeline . The handbook

Parliament Dato ’ Kamarudin Jaffar and attended by 50 families who received food baskets .

The food baskets contained a whole chicken and a variety of fresh vegetables high in protein , vitamins , and minerals to encourage balanced food intake and help with poor health and nutrition .

The programme included weekly provisions for at least 500 families with children aged seven to 19 who live in Bandar Tun Razak ’ s Perumahan Awam

is being released as a hard copy version and an ebook that can be accessed through the Mind Matters Network website ( https :// www . mindmattersmy . org ).

“ This book aimed primarily at youth is one of our projects at Mind Matters Network aligned with one of our main missions to improve mental health literacy in Malaysia . Mind Matters Network strives to translate scientific studies into practice through bite-sized education materials that enhance the understanding of youth in our community regarding mental health based

( PA ) Seri Kota , PA Seri Sabah 3B , and PA Seri Melaka , as well as nutrition education and cooking classes for the community .

Bakul K2K is an initiative of Think City ’ s K2K programme , aiming to improve the quality of life and living standards in public housing . Bakul K2K allows public housing residents to purchase fresh and affordable food via the Bakul K2K website and deliver it to their apartment complexes .

Because Bakul K2K is a nonprofit organisation , fresh foods are sold at close to wholesale prices to lower the cost of living .

Residents of selected public housing must register on the Bakul K2K website with a voucher sponsored by the MARGMA Foundation to redeem their baskets . The baskets are then delivered weekly to the public housing complex .

on research ,” said Sharrada Segeran , Director of Mind Matters Network and Chair of the Youth Task Force of NCMW .

“ NCMW holds the mission to promote mental health initiatives through education , support and advocacy with the vision to support the community with better understanding of mental health , provide resources and learning opportunities for early intervention and advocate improved support for mental health care ,” said NCMW Founding Member and Protem Chairman Siti Subaidah .

Choosing the best collagen

As more and more people catch on to the anti-ageing benefits of collagen supplements , there are now seemingly endless options on the market . They can come in liquid , capsule , and even powdered forms .

“ When you ’ re buying something like collagen , it ’ s important to make sure that what you ’ re purchasing is 100 per cent pure . You want to make sure that you get the right dosage of 2.5g to 15 g per day ,” said Dr JC Cheng , a certified vet and founder of Nutribear .

“ Make sure that your collagen doesn ’ t have any fillers or chemicals that can be harmful to your health . If it is not possible for you to find out if there are fillers in your collagen , then look for sellers who can guarantee you good quality of products .”

When shopping for collagen , you may want to research whether they ’ re approved by organisations like the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau ( NPCB in Malaysia ).

“ When you ’ re researching a collagen and considering if it ’ s worth purchasing , make sure to read labels carefully ,” added Dr Cheng .

She emphasised that it is best to consult professional advice when choosing the right collagen as chemicals and additives in certain collagen may cause allergies and uncomfortable skin reactions .

“ Not all collagen supplements are alike , so make sure you read up on what to look for to avoid negative side effects down the road ,” she said .

G7 Foreign and Development ministers meet in hybrid form

Malaysia ’ s delegation to the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers ’ Meetings with Guests from ASEAN , led by Foreign Affairs Minister Dato ’ Saifuddin Abdullah was held in hybrid form on Dec 12 , 2021 .

The ASEAN-G7 meeting and thematic sessions on “ Indo-Pacific : Infrastructure , Technology and Shared Security ,” and “ Vaccines and Global Health Security ,” were virtually attended by the Foreign Minister .

Malaysia applauded the G7 ’ s commitment to speed up vaccine supply , particularly for poorer countries , during the thematic session “ Vaccines and Global Health Security .”

Malaysia also welcomed more innovation in developing more effective vaccines against Covid-19 and future health threats , as well as ensuring that vaccines are distributed fairly and equitably to all , including through dose sharing , supply chain strengthening and opening , and vaccine manufacturing capacity expansion .

Early Christmas for children with cancer

PM-International Malaysia donated RM500,000 to the Children ’ s Home of Hope ( CHH ) at the National Cancer Society Malaysia ( NCSM ) to assist children in their fight against cancer .

The NCSM will subsidise treatment and provide housing for children as young as one year old from all over the country .

Since 2016 , Paul Yung , CEO of PM-International Malaysia , has been a strong supporter of the NCSM .

“ I lost my aunt and all four of my grandparents-in-law to cancer , so this is a very personal topic for me . I am happy about this being PM-Malaysia ’ s largest donation ever , and I hope that our contribution will help the children to fight and beat the disease .”

Dr Murali , NCSM ’ s Managing Director , was present to accept the donation from PM-International Malaysia .

“ On behalf of NCSM , we express our heartfelt thanks to PM-International Malaysia who have consistently supported NCSM for many years and many events .

“ The donation will help to cover CHH ’ s operating costs for one full year and even allow them to upgrade peripherals such as bed frames and sensory toys for the children . What an amazing Christmas gift from PM- International Malaysia ,” said Dr Murali .

“ We sincerely thank all of our distributors and customers . Every child deserves the best chance to fight cancer ,” added Yung . — The Health