KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — In a collaborative effort to combat dengue and improve public health, Takeda Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with leading managed care organisation MiCare, along with insurance leaders Great Eastern Life Malaysia, Tokio Marine Life Malaysia, MCIS Life, Hong Leong Assurance, and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Bhd.
Together, Takeda and its partners will increase access to vital dengue prevention resources, while also enhancing education on a variety of health topics, with a focus on integrated dengue prevention methods, including vaccination.
Amid the escalating threat of dengue in Malaysia, the partners aim to engage up to 1.7 million policy and certificate holders, providing them with essential knowledge and resources to prevent the disease.
By raising awareness of the increasing risk of dengue and offering access to dengue vaccination as an additional preventive option, the collaboration takes a comprehensive approach to safeguard public health across the country.
Dengue management imposes significant direct and indirect costs, with the estimated economic burden reaching RM447 million annually.
More than 90 per cent of the budget allocated to combat dengue is spent on vector control measures. However, the more profound impact on the rakyat — their quality of life and long-term health — is harder to quantify.
This collaboration is driven by a shared commitment to reduce the impact of dengue in Malaysia and improve overall community health, mitigating its effects on both individuals and the nation.
Public health experts suggest that vaccination, when integrated with vector control measures to manage mosquito populations and personal efforts to prevent bites, could help reduce dengue cases and hospitalisations.
A recent analysis projects that a well-planned dengue vaccination programme could save Malaysia RM4.3 billion over the next three decades.
“At Takeda, we are committed to building an ecosystem of partnerships to facilitate access to dengue vaccination as one of the methods in an integrated dengue prevention strategy.
“By collaborating with insurers and takaful operators, health care providers, and other key stakeholders, we’re helping to raise dengue awareness and open up new pathways for people to access vaccination as an additional preventive method.
“Our goal is to ensure more people are protected, especially in high-risk areas, while also contributing to the national mission of building healthier, more resilient communities across the country,” said Dr Lynette Moey, country general manager, Takeda Malaysia and Singapore.
Facilitated by MiCare, the collaboration with Great Eastern Life Malaysia, Tokio Marine Life Malaysia, MCIS Life, Hong Leong Assurance and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Bhd includes provisions for both individual and group policies and certificates.
Each insurer and takaful operator will manage rollouts aimed at raising awareness among policy and certificate holders about dengue and ensuring broader access to integrated prevention methods, such as vaccination.
“For years, we’ve focused mainly on preventing mosquito bites and controlling breeding sites. These are essential strategies, and it is now so encouraging to have dengue vaccination alongside these methods.
“We stay true to our vision of making quality health care affordable and accessible. We’re proud therefore to unite key stakeholders to strengthen our nationwide efforts in integrating multiple prevention strategies with the strong intent to reduce the cost of dengue management and the overall social burden of dengue,” said Moses Hee, group chief executive officer of MiCare.
Policy and certificate holders can speak to their respective insurers or MiCare for details on eligibility and terms and conditions.
Malaysians can also consult doctors at private hospitals and clinics or visit knowdengue.my for more information on dengue prevention and protection.
