The Health July/August 2022 | Page 4

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THE HEALTH | JULY-AUGUST , 2022

| Local News |

IHH to gain RM902m from IMU sale

IHH Healthcare Bhd is selling its entire stake in IMU Health Sdn Bhd ( IMUH ) to Inbound Education Holdings Sdn Bhd ( IEHSB ) for RM1.24 billion . It is part of a deal to dispose of assets worth RM1.35 billion .
IHH is expected to gain RM901.98 million from the proposed asset disposal .
IHH said the move aligns with the group ’ s strategy to divest non-core assets and recycle capital by deploying the proceeds to grow its core healthcare delivery services business . Among IHH ’ s other leading brand names are Acibadem , Mount Elizabeth , Prince Court , Gleneagles , Fortis , Pantai and Parkway .
The move sees Hong Leong Healthcare Group Sdn Bhd , Singapore ’ s
The Rise Fund Inbound SF Pte Ltd and the Employees Provident Fund Board ( EPF ) taking significant stakes in IMUH through their vehicle IEHSB . IMUH holds IMU Education , IMC Education Sdn Bhd and IMU Healthcare Sdn Bhd .
IEHSB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inbound Education Partners Sdn Bhd ( IEPSB ), which Hong Leong Healthcare owns ( 45 per cent ), The Rise Fund Inbound SF Pte Ltd ( 45 per cent ) and the
Employees Provident Fund Board ( EPF ) ( 9.99 per cent ).
As part of the IMUH disposal , IHH is also selling a hospital that is still under construction in Kuala Lumpur , together with its assets and liabilities , to Columbia Asia Sdn Bhd ( CASB ) for RM139 million , less an outstanding bank loan amount of RM38 million as of Dec 31 , 2021 .
CASB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Asia Healthcare Sdn Bhd . Their indirect shareholders are Hong Leong Healthcare Group and global alternative asset firm TPG , holding approximately 49.95 per cent each . In 2019 , Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd ( HLFG ) and TPG inked a deal to acquire Columbia Asia Hospitals in South East Asia for US $ 1.2 billion .
Based on the original cost of investment in IMU Group of RM308.67 million incurred in 2010 and 2011 , IHH is expected to gain RM901.98 million from the proposed disposal . Cash proceeds from the deal will be utilised for general corporate purposes ( including debt repayment , capital expenditure , mergers and acquisitions , investments and working capital ) over the next 12 months .
The proposed disposal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023 .
For the financial year ended Dec 31 , 2021 , IMUH made a consolidated profit after tax and minority interest of RM54.52 million , while its consolidated net assets were RM376.94 million . — The Health

Aurelius Healthcare ’ s menstrual hygiene campaign

BUMITRA and DoctorOnCall at the MoU signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur .

Encouraging vaccination for pilgrims

HEALTH Digital Technologies Sdn Bhd ( DoctorOnCall ) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) with the Bumiputera Tourism Operators Association of Malaysia ( BUMITRA Malaysia ) to facilitate and increase health vaccination amongst Muslim pilgrims who are going for their Hajj or Umrah in Saudi Arabia .
As part of the MoU , DoctorOnCall will provide a platform for pilgrims to make inoculation appointment bookings . The platform will be available to pilgrims who make pilgrimage travel plans with participating travel agencies nationwide under BUMITRA .
The pilot phase of the vaccination drive kicked off in June focusing on Kuala Lumpur and Selangor . Phase Two is set to commence from late July onwards , covering the whole of Malaysia .
The DoctorOnCall platform will act as an online database of healthcare providers that offer vaccinations across Malaysia . The vaccinations offered through DoctorOnCall will include meningococcal , influenza and Covid-19 .
However , with the Ministry of Health ( MoH ) urging Malaysian pilgrims to include the pneumococcal vaccine as part of their inoculation to increase protection against serious and potentially fatal pneumococcal infections , DoctorOnCall will be placing greater emphasis on pneumococcal vaccine providers so that more pilgrims will have access to the vaccine .
Hazwan Najib , Director and Co-Founder of DoctorOnCall , said : “ With the resurgence of religious tourism as we enter a post-pandemic world , overcrowding conditions in places of worship are inevitable . This makes pilgrims more susceptible to infectious diseases .
Harun KC Ahmmu , President of BUMITRA Malaysia , said that the health and safety of Malaysian pilgrims are at their core , and they looked at continuously improving ways and identifying methods for pilgrims to take better care of their health during their pilgrimage journey .
“ Together with DoctorOnCall , our pilgrims will be empowered with the necessary vaccinations and better awareness and knowledge about these transmittable diseases .”
The MoU signing ceremony was held on June 9 , 2022 between Hazwan Najib and Harun Ahmmu . — The Health
AURELIUS Healthcare , the healthcare group behind Aurelius Hospital Nilai , has launched its Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Campaign to highlight the importance of menstrual hygiene among students and young adults .
In conjunction with Menstrual Hygiene Day , which is observed globally on May 28 , this campaign aims to break the silence and change negative social norms surrounding the topic of menstruation .
The World Bank estimates that at least 500 million women and girls globally have limited access to adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management . Lack of education and improper sanitation infrastructure compound the issue , leading to poor menstrual hygiene across many communities . This has a direct effect on educational opportunities as well as the health and overall social status of women and girls around the world .
Period poverty , which refers to the inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene products due to financial constraints , has caused a wide health gap in our lower-income communities .
With the approval of Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli ( JAKOA ), Aurelius Healthcare has partnered with Libresse to distribute pads and panty liners to over 500 women and girls from the Kampung Sungai Mahang Orang Asli village in Nilai , Negeri Sembilan . The team spent time with the community there and provided educational tips on maintaining good menstrual hygiene .
Aurelius Healthcare is also working with the Department of Environment ( Jabatan Alam Sekitar ) on its Kempen Hindari Penggunaan Plastik Sekali Guna , to educate the public on the proper disposal of menstrual health products as well as other environmentally friendly alternatives .
The education and awareness campaign is spread across educational institutions in Negeri Sembilan , with activities such as health talks with doctors from Aurelius Hospital Nilai , educational posters and leaflets in schools , an ‘ Adopt-A-School ’ program that supplies sanitary care products to students , and more .
Dr Darshini Kumaravelo , CEO at Aurelius Hospital Nilai , said : We aim to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene , address challenges in accessing menstrual health products , break the taboo and end the stigma surrounding menstruation .” — The Health
The Aurelius Healthcare team with women and girls from the Kampung Sungai Mahang Orang Asli village .