THE HEALTH | JANUARY-FEBRUARY , 2023

INSTITUT Jantung Negara ( IJN ) has once again received the Joint Commission International ’ s ( JCI ) Gold Seal of Approval for its high standards of patient care .

The Gold Seal of Approval is only awarded to hospitals that meet the highest patient safety standards globally . This is IJN ’ s fifth JCI re-accreditation process , having first received the accolade in 2009 .

Based in the United States , JCI is a worldwide a leader in independent healthcare assessment , and prioritises hospitals ’ commitment to providing safe and quality patient care . The standards used by JCI are developed by feedback from healthcare experts and patients , as well as scientific literature .

Healthcare centres seeking JCI accreditation are required to undergo a rigorous review , where they are evaluated on a range of areas including , assessment and care of patients ; governance and leadership ; provision of high-risk services and care ; as well as staff qualifications and education .

JCI also measures healthcare providers ’ ability to meet international patient safety goals , including safe surgery and reduced risk of healthcare-associated infections .

IJN CEO Datuk Dr Aizai Azan Abdul Rahim explained that the JCI accreditation served as a benchmark for the centre to work towards . “ The standards set by JCI are not static ; these are metrics updated regularly to match medical advancements and best practices in clinical care .

“ From our perspective as a healthcare provider , these evolving guidelines are useful in terms of how we can further improve and refine our own processes . Ultimately , these improvements are always framed as : what can we do better for our patients ?”

He added that the accreditation offers patients the assurance that they are receiving top-notch care from skilled specialists , in a safe setting complemented by state-of-the-art facilities .

“ It ’ s a symbol of reliability in our expertise and capabilities , so we are incredibly honoured to maintain our JCI-accredited status ,” he said .

The acquisition of Reszon by Hextar Healthcare is synergistic as we strengthen the Group ’ s position in the broader healthcare business .”

– EL Law

A MONOCLONAL antibody combination , was launched on Jan 6 in the country ’ s private hospitals for the prevention of Covid-19 in high-risk individuals . It was developed by AstraZeneca ’ s Evusheld ( tixagevimab and cilgavimab .

The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency ( NPRA ) had granted conditional registration for Evusheld in May 2022 for the pre-exposure prophylaxis ( prevention ) of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older weighing at least 40kg who are unlikely to mount an adequate immune response to Covid-19 vaccination , or for whom Covid-19 vaccination is not recommended .

Evusheld ’ s introduction to Malaysia ’ s private market means that the most vulnerable individuals , including immunocompromised patients with underlying health conditions , high-risk individuals and those unable to be vaccinated , can now benefit from an additional prevention option by paying for it through private hospitals .

Dr Sanjeev Panchal , Country President , AstraZeneca Malaysia , said : “ Evusheld is an option for high-risk patients to prevent Covid-19 alongside vaccination . While vaccines continue to remain an important tool in the

Hextar Healthcare , formerly known as Rubberex Corp ( M ) Berhad , said Lim had more than 28 years of experience in the financial services industry .

The company said she started her career with Malaysian International Merchant Bankers Bhd ( now known as Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd ) where she held various managerial positions and served as head of corporate advisory before joining Maybank Investment Bank in 2004 as its head of corporate finance .

Cheng has over 28 years of experience in the healthcare industry , being head nursing tutor at Pantai Medical Centre , the General Manager at Megah Medical Specialist Centre and subsequently the Chief Operating Officer at Damai Service Hospital in Kuala Lumpur . Meanwhile , Hextar Healthcare Non- Independent Non-Executive Director Datuk Eddie Ong Choo Meng left his post on Dec 31 , 2022 .

Ong is exiting the board to pursue other interests , said Hextar Healthcare in a Bursa Malaysia filing . Besides Ong , Hextar Healthcare Deputy Chairman Datuk Mohamed Hamzah also resigned on the same day to pursue other personal interests .

In 2022 , Hextar Healthcare diversified into the healthcare industry by acquiring test kit manufacturer Reszon Diagnostics International Sdn Bhd from Revongen Corp Sdn Bhd for RM180 million . It was satisfied via a combination of RM54 million cash and RM126 million Hextar Healthcare shares .

The acquisition was completed on Oct 31 and saw the emergence of Revongen as Hextar Healthcare ’ s second-largest shareholder with a 16.2 per cent stake . Revongen is 71.2 per cent owned by its Founder and Director EL Law . The remaining stake in Revongen is owned by Olympia Tier Sdn Bhd ( 23.8 per cent ) and Neogon Holding FZE ( five per cent ).

EL Law is enthusiastic on the prospects for the healthcare industry . He said : “ The acquisition of Reszon by Hextar Healthcare is synergistic as we strengthen the Group ’ s position in the broader healthcare business .

“ Coming out of the pandemic , the demand for such products and services by the healthconscious population is expected to drive the market higher .”

arsenal of protection against the virus , there are some vulnerable populations who are unable to mount an adequate protection from the vaccine alone and some of whom Covid-19 vaccination is not recommended .

“ The conditional approval and availability of Evusheld in Malaysia represents an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to contribute towards public health as the country transitions to endemicity and protect high-risk individuals against Covid-19 .”

Evusheld is a combination of two monoclonal antibodies ( mAbs ), tixagevimab and cilgavimab , administered as two intramuscular injections . Unlike a vaccine , which takes time to train the body ’ s immune system to respond to a

Dr . Sanjeev Panchal , Country President , AstraZeneca Malaysia speaking at the media launch of monoclonal antibodies .

virus , antibodies like Evusheld mimic the body ’ s natural immune response to immediately identify and attack the virus .

The antibodies work by binding to the spike protein of the SARS- CoV-2 virus at two different sites . By attaching to the spike protein , the medicine is expected to stop the virus from entering the body ’ s cells and causing infection .

Results from the PROVENT Phase III pre-exposure prophylaxis ( prevention ) trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that Evusheld reduced the risk of developing symptomatic Covid-19 by 77 per cent in the primary analysis , and by 83 per cent in the six-month follow-up analysis , compared to placebos . – The Health