The EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) is pleased to support the recent publication of a report “Building a Healthier Asia: Empowering More Equitable Access to Healthcare Innovation”, by Zuellig Pharma, one of the largest healthcare services groups in Asia, in partnership with PRMA Consulting, a leading global market access consultancy. This report is a summary of the key topics that were discussed at the second Zuellig Pharma Healthcare Access Summit in 2022, and emphasises the importance of a whole-of-society approach to overcoming barriers to equitable care across private and public stakeholders.
The report features vital recommendations on how industry stakeholders can apply learnings from the pandemic response to increase access to healthcare across various geographical localities. It also discusses recent major developments in healthcare technologies – from therapeutics, to diagnostics, vaccines, and other interventions – which have greatly transformed healthcare, especially in elevating the quality and expediting the delivery of care amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The report also highlights the importance of addressing the widening gap in access to healthcare – from healthcare financing, availability of healthcare services, supply, and distribution of products, down to the trust in stakeholders within the healthcare systems –to minimise the disparity in healthcare access and equity.
Commenting on the report, Chris Humphrey, Executive Director at the EU-ASEAN Business Council said “As we have witnessed throughout the pandemic, stakeholders – be it public or private sectors – cannot resolve health problems alone. Collaboration is key to developing healthcare infrastructures across the region.”
“All of government, and in particular health and finance ministries, along with those from the private sector – pharmaceutical companies, those working in medical devices and diagnostics, distribution and those involved in delivery of care, must work together to ensure that healthcare as a universal good can be made accessible for all with no patient groups left behind,” he added.
Jean-Gaetan Guillemaud, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Zuellig Pharma mirrored the same sentiments, highlighting that the report’s main themes of equal resource allocation, accessibility and sustainability are critical to improving healthcare access.
“Putting patients at the centre of creating value-based care, while ensuring that private and public stakeholders work steadfastly to enhance accessibility are two main ways the industry can continue to increase access to healthcare. At Zuellig Pharma, we are committed to enhancing care for patients in the region, while ensuring that we double down on making our efforts sustainable by decarbonising operations and playing our part in caring for the environment,” said Guillemaud. [APBN]
Source: EU-ASEAN Business Council