In conjunction with World Pharmacist Day on 25 September, Malaysia’s largest prescription pharmacy chain, Alpro Pharmacy, launched its newest outlet at KidZania Kuala Lumpur today.
Alpro Pharmacy, the only pharmacy in the interactive city for kids, joined the buzzing neighborhood that presents more than 70 role- play activities, offering children the chance to experience different professions through realistic, immersive experiences.
Ph. Lim En Ni, the Engagement Director and Chief Pharmacist of Alpro Pharmacy said "Our expansion to KidZania Kuala Lumpur aligns with our vision for a healthy and vibrant world.
At Alpro Pharmacy, our mission is to provide opportunities, health, and guidance to anyone striving for a better life. It's essential to introduce children early to the crucial role pharmacists play in their lives, particularly in ensuring medication safety.
“KidZania's unique setting allows us to engage children through role-play activities that develop their critical thinking, self-knowledge, and creativity. It also promotes life shaping values such as respect, responsibility, and integrity."
Alpro Pharmacy at KidZania Kuala Lumpur offers children a unique opportunity to explore the world of a community pharmacist through 20-minute interactive activities and real-life experiences.
The outlet features a compounding lab where children can create their own soothing gel with guidance from professionals at the outlet. They can also take home their personalised gel, which is designed to calm eczema and relief of minor burns.
At the launch event, Ph. Lim also highlighted the theme for this year’s World Pharmacists Day, ‘Pharmacists: Meeting Global Health Needs,’ and the role of community pharmacists in supporting the nation in its fight against chronic diseases such as eczema and non- communicable diseases (NCDs), and transition to the projected ageing nation status by 2030.
“With more than 300 outlets nationwide, our community pharmacists are accessible and available to serve the community on primary healthcare and disease prevention.
Apart fromadvice on medication, we also provide services such as smoking cessation, family planning and pain management. What’s more, is that our operation hours are longer than most hospitals and clinics, and talking to us doesn’t require any appointment, and no consultation fees will be charged,” Ph. Lim said.
Alpro Pharmacy at KidZania Kuala Lumpur is located at the wellness vicinity on the Upper Floor, opposite the hospital.
It has ongoing vacancies for pharmacists-wannabes from the age of 6. It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
A. Menarini, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group − an Italian pharmaceutical company with more than 135 years of history is embarking on a campaign with CARiNG Pharmacy Malaysia and ACT4Health Sdn Bhd, a social enterprise spin-off of University of Malaya to launch the “Catch Mild Cognitive Impairment Early: Act Now, Remember More” campaign in driving awareness and early detection of mild cognitive impairment.
Cognitive health is related to the well-being of our brain, while mental health focuses on our emotional and psychological state. A healthy brain can learn, recall, and make decisions that allow us to conduct daily activities. However, when cognition starts declining, it can significantly affect an individual’s overall health and well-being, known as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). People who live with MCI tend to have difficulty forming words, often losing things or forgetting to show up at important events. Unlike dementia and other severe cognitive impairment conditions, individuals with MCI can generally maintain their self-care abilities and continue with their daily activities. In contrast, dementia patients often struggle with self-care and may exhibit severe symptoms such as hallucinations and paranoia. This means that MCI is seen as a stage where the condition can be somewhat enhanced or slow down the progression by following healthy habits and diets.
According to Malaysian research published in 2023, patients with chronic disease have an elevated risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The study with 207 participants also found that only 8% of the patients had some discussion about the risk of cognitive impairment with their physicians, while 8.2% needed clarification. Most of the participants (93.2%) did not initiate or share their concerns regarding dementia with their physicians, with 2.4% unsure if they had ever discussed this topic. There is a low level of awareness of basic knowledge on dementia among the elderly, especially those at risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and its associated factors.
“Launching this campaign is extremely important and meaningful for us at A. Menarini as we also have like-minded partners like CARiNG Pharmacy and ACT4Health to tackle this pressing cognitive issue identified through research and community feedback. There are risk factors that could contribute to the development of MCI. Factors not under our control, such as age and family medical history are fixed and unavoidable but modifiable measures can be altered or avoided to reduce MCI. Making positive changes to any modifiable risk factors may have a chance to decrease susceptibility. While we can make changes in our daily activity to live a healthy lifestyle, it is also crucial to do a proper screening with the right healthcare professionals to spot any early symptoms and receive appropriate medical support,” said Josie Ong, Commercial Director of A. Menarini Singapore Pte Ltd (Malaysia branch)
Reaching out to more Malaysians for early detection to slow down the development of MCI
A. Menarini, CARiNG Pharmacy and ACT4Health have joined forces to offer the Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT) at selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets in Malaysia. The test's purpose is to raise awareness of MCI among Malaysians and help people evaluate their risk of MCI. This enables early diagnosis and intervention if necessary.
VCAT involves a series of visual and cognitive tasks to measure aspects of cognition function, such as memory and attention. The tasks involve pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, memory recall, and decision-making. Once the test is completed, the results will be analysed to provide a status of the individual’s cognitive health and determine whether healthcare professional involvement is necessary.
Commenting on the campaign, Bu Min Yee, Senior Training Executive/Pharmacist, CARiNG Pharmacy, shared, “This exclusive partnership with A. Menarini is a way to advance our commitment to increasing awareness of MCI and promoting early detection. At CARiNG Pharmacy, we are community-driven and here to drive early detection and empower our consumers to take the next steps. We want to ensure that if the VCAT shows early signs of MCI, they are guided to healthcare providers like ACT4Health for more specific diagnoses. The main goal of this tri-partnership is to enable the community and educate them about MCI and prevention strategies. We hope more Malaysians will take this opportunity to take the VCAT test for free at our selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets. We invite them and their family to drop by these selected outlets for this 15-minute cognitive test.”
Empowering ourselves with health literacy for early detection
While there is no curative treatment for severe cognitive impairment, it is crucial to establish a comprehensive management strategy to prepare patients and their caregivers for the challenges ahead, with a primary focus on improving quality of life.
“Statistics from the AGELESS research project show that up to one in five individuals aged 60 years and over experience memory loss whereas four out of ten are socially vulnerable. For many, the memory deficits can be transient, while for others, this can be considered an early sign of dementia. Statistics published by the Institute of Public Health through their ‘National Health and Morbidity Survey — The Elderly’ five years ago found that one in 12 Malaysians aged 60 years and over have dementia. The AGELESS project has enhanced our ability to recognise cognitive frailty early by defining groups that are more likely to develop cognitive frailty but, more importantly, groups that can recover,” Professor Dr Tan Maw Pin, Geriatric Medicine Consultant, Founder and Managing Director of ACT4Health Sdn Bhd shared.
Professor Dr Tan added, “Everyone needs to understand that their health is also their responsibility, and as caregivers to older family members, we must also remember to empower them to seek help early. This also means that besides going in for regular eye and dental check-ups or blood tests, cognitive health can benefit from regular medical check-ups, especially if we notice early signs or have relatives with MCI. As we all know, early detection can help us plan for long-term care and take health actions before the condition worsens, such as changing our diet and exercising more. Caregivers should also be prepared for patients’ behavioural changes to offer the most suitable care.”
Through the “Catch Mild Cognitive Impairment Early: Act Now, Remember More” campaign, A. Menarini, CARiNG Pharmacy and ACT4Health hope to emphasise the importance of understanding and addressing MCI. The VCAT is now available free of charge at selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets. For more details on test availability and locations, please visit the CARiNG Pharmacy official Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/caring2u?mibextid=ZbWKwL].
This Hari Raya, immerse yourself in the warmth of family togetherness with the support of guardian.
"Hari Raya is a time for families to strengthen bonds and cherish relationships with loved ones, both near and far, regardless of age, gender, or circumstances. guardian has always stood by you during these celebrations, ensuring you have everything you need to lead a healthy and beautiful life," said Priscilla Wu, Managing Director of guardian Malaysia.
Speaking at the launch of guardian's 'Raya Untuk Semua' campaign at TRX Kuala Lumpur, Priscilla added:
"As the title of our Raya campaign suggests, guardian celebrates Raya inclusively, as a brand for everyone - from the young to the old, through different generations. Our curated products and services are designed to ensure everyone can enjoy the festivities feeling and looking their best."
"guardian is a brand that fosters family togetherness, playing an integral role in our customers' lives with a wide range of products offered at great value," Priscilla emphasized.
In conjunction with guardian's 'Raya Untuk Semua' campaign, a Raya music video has been launched on YouTube.
This year's video, a sequel to last year's, reiterates the importance of strong family ties and values during significant occasions like Hari Raya.
Reprising their roles in the video, the main cast comprises of Sham Visa and Amy Mastura as the father and mother; and their 4 lovely daughters played by Dr Amanda Elli, PuteriShazwani Megat Ahmad Shahriman, Yasmin Khalid and Afeefa Ooi. The catchy song with joget vibes will also be aired on Era FM from the 1st to 12th April.
The video showcases how guardian contributes to the family's journey towards a healthy and beautiful life, spanning across generations from grandparents to grandchildren.
As Ramadan encourages self-reflection, self-improvement, and empathy towards the less fortunate, members of the media, influencers, and guests at the launch were invited to pick up Raya presents at the guardian store at TRX for 100 children from Pertubuhan Kebajikan Dan Perlindungan Nur Qaseh Malaysia, comprising 50 girls and 50 boys, with a total contribution amounting to RM10,000.
Additionally, ‘Pulut Kuning Zarina’ was distributed as gifts to launch guests. Zarina Zainuddin, a mother and entrepreneur, was recognized as one of guardian's outstanding International Women's Day personalities.
Despite personal challenges, Zarina balances her entrepreneurial pursuits with the responsibilities of motherhood to her autistic sons with grace.
To celebrate guardian's 'Raya Untuk Semua' campaign, a substantial range of offers has been curated with savings of up to 50% including 60% discount on all Hair Color and all Beauty Mask & Lip Balm for purchase of a 2nd item.
Moreover, attractive Gift With Purchases are available at guardian stores during this Raya promotion period,which starts from 21 March 2024, such as:
•
Free Puffy Beauty Pouch with purchase of RM180 and above in a single receipt for any beauty products including Skin Care, Derma Skin Care, Cosmetics, Beauty Accessories and Fragrances.
•
Free Quby Stainless Steel Lunch Box with Thermal bag with purchase of RM120 and above in a single receipt for Hair Care, Bath Care, Oral Care, Deodorant, Shaving, Feminine Care and Baby Toiletries
•
Free Foldable Trolley with purchase of RM188 and above in a single receipt for all Health Care products, GMS & Food and Confectionary
•
Free guardian Raya Packets ( 8pcs ) with purchase of RM68 and above in a single receipt while stocks last
•
Free RM5 coupon with every purchase over RM68 in a single receipt
Priscilla concluded: "We are thrilled to celebrate Raya with you and your family, with everyone, in fact.
Remember, guardian is for everyone. Regardless of who you are, your needs, age, or gender, guardian is a brand that caters to all your health and beauty needs, bringing families together. We will always be here for you." #guardianRaya2024
