THE HEALTH | MAY , 2021

“ Top Glove had engaged Impactt in July 2020 to advise on measures for improving the company ’ s labour policies and practices ,” it said .

According to a statement issued by the glove maker , the 11 ILO issues are : abuse of vulnerability ; retention of identity documents ; restriction of movement ; excessive overtime ; abusive working and living conditions ; deception ; isolation ; debt bondage ; withholding of wages ; physical and sexual violence ; and intimidation .

In late March this year , the US Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) announced it had directed personnel at all US ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by Top Glove .

The directive came after the CBP Office of Trade , in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury , published a forced labour finding against disposable gloves produced by Top Glove , in which the CBP said it has sufficient information to believe Top Glove uses forced labour in the production of disposable gloves .

Meanwhile , the glove manufacturer stated its assurance to stakeholders of its continued efforts to improve the welfare of its employees .

“ Top Glove remains committed to [ being ] the best company that it can become , ensuring high quality welfare , health , safety , working conditions and living accommodation of its 21,000 strong workforce ,” it added .

REGIONAL private healthcare provider Health Management International ( HMI Group ) is entering into a strategic partnership with Siemens Healthineers to advance the Malaysian healthcare industry and cultivate local talents surrounding the use of new medical technologies in their tertiary hospitals Mahkota Medical Centre ( Mahkota ) in Melaka and Regency Specialist Hospital ( Regency ) in Johor .

As part of this RM100 million five-year strategic partnership , which is the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia , HMI Group will partner Siemens Healthineers to roll out innovative medical technologies , digitalisation platforms and clinical services advancements across the Group including Mahkota and Regency in Malaysia .

Group CEO of HMI Group , Chin Wei Jia explained that the further development of CoEs in cancer , neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases as part of the strategic partnership and was in line with the Malaysian government ’ s goals to address the growing issue of noncommunicable diseases ( NCDs ) and reduce premature mortality caused by NCDs by 2025 .

The focus on these areas for the new Centres of Excellence also aligns with the nation ’ s NCD trends , as 35 per cent of NCD deaths are from cardiovascular diseases , followed by 16 per cent from cancers .

“ This strategic partnership will enable Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital to improve patient care by serving as flagship reference sites for Siemens Healthineers in Southeast Asia ,” shared Chin .

Established earlier this calendar year , this partnership with Siemens Healthineers signals the start of a long-term relationship between these two companies to advance healthcare delivery in Malaysia and the region .

“ As our first reference site for Value Partnerships in Southeast Asia , HMI Group will demonstrate how healthcare consulting plays a critical role in developing meaningful partnerships to overcome the increasing challenges in the industry today ,” said Rod Frazer , Managing Director , Siemens Healthineers , Malaysia .

“ HMI Group is committed to not just improve the lives of our patients but the community , by developing local talents , continuous investment in innovative medical technologies , and further development of our Centres of Excellence .

“ Even with Covid-19 still affecting

Chin Wei Jia

Rod Frazer

This strategic partnership will enable Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital to improve patient care by serving as flagship reference sites for Siemens Healthineers in Southeast Asia .”

— Chin

Malaysia and many countries globally , we are confident that our investment towards advancing healthcare delivery in Malaysia will lead to better care for our patients and ultimately contribute to a better economy for the future ,” said Chin .

EXYTE , world-renowned for the design and construction of high-tech facilities , has been awarded a fast-track project for Dexcom in Penang , Malaysia . This is the first manufacturing facility for the US-based diabetes care technology provider outside the US .

Exyte is proud to support Dexcom ’ s strategic growth plans as it expands manufacturing into Asia for the first time . Located in Batu Kawan , Penang with 1.8 million square feet of gross floor area , the project will house a manufacturing facility for continuous glucose monitoring ( CGM ) systems .

Key parts of the facility include multi-story cleanrooms , a warehouse with dock leveller , a three-story Central Utility Building ( CUB ), a seven-story office building with a canteen and recreational area as well as a seven-level multi-story parking structure .

Exyte ’ s value-added engineering capabilities and experienced team of engineers provide the right fit to complete the state-of-the-art facility in an efficient manner . The project will enable Dexcom to quickly expand CGM production , increasing the number of systems it can deliver worldwide to meet growing demands . “ We selected Exyte as the design and construction partner for our first manufacturing facility in Asia due to their excellent record of delivering fast-track projects of this magnitude and complexity ,” said David Arida , Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Operations at Dexcom .

Jack Lyons , Vice President Biopharma and Life Sciences Southeast Asia at Exyte shares : “ We are delighted to be selected as the main contractor and trusted partner in delivering the first manufacturing facility for Dexcom in Asia and enabling a quick time to market for our client .” — The Health