RESPIRE in the spotlight as Annual Scientific Meeting 2019 opens

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Officiated by Dr Lee Boon Chye, Deputy Minister of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, the morning showcase highlighted how the RESPIRE collaboration is working together to tackle respiratory diseases in Malaysia and more widely across Asia.

Invited guests included representatives from the Malaysian Ministry of Health, University of Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Institute of Clinical Research and Malaysian Thoracic Society.

Respiratory health in Malaysia

Delegates were welcomed by Dr Lee Boon Chye, as well as Datuk Dr Christopher Lee Kwok Choong, Deputy Director General of Health (Research & Technical Support), Ministry of Health Malaysia and Professor Dato’ Dr Adeeba Binti Kamarulzaman, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaysia.

Each addressed the impact of respiratory diseases in Malaysia – which are the top three causes of hospitalisation and death in the country – and highlighted the importance of ongoing research.

Attendees at the showcase heard how research teams in RESPIRE are tackling a number of issues to improve respiratory health across Asia, with presentations from RESPIRE Directors, Professor Aziz Sheikh and Professor Harry Campbell, as well as representatives from RESPIRE partner countries Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Informing policy for better respiratory care

With the support of organisations like RESPIRE, governments and policy makers can draw on findings from the research to inform policy for better respiratory care.

I look forward to more research collaboration between government and non-governmental agencies to advance respiratory health and benefit patient care.

Dr Lee Boon Chye