PETALING JAYA: Watsons Malaysia and Bayer Co. (Malaysia) collaborated for a health public forum held in conjunction with World Allergy Week 2017. World Allergy Week is an annual initiative of the World Allergy Organisation to raise awareness of allergic disease and related disorders.
Themed “Healthy Living”, the forum organised by Watsons Malaysia and Bayer Co. (Malaysia) was intended to help heighten general public awareness of allergy related problems.
Allergy is a familiar term among many Malaysians, but many people are not [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3,5″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ] aware that they are allergic to certain substances. Most allergic disorders are not life-threatening or contagious. But allergies can be debilitating and have a strong impact on patients’ quality of life. Some severe allergic reactions can be a serious condition which can cause unconsciousness and sometimes death.
“With the celebration of World Allergy Day in Malaysia, Bayer Co. (Malaysia) reaffirms its commitment to advance allergic disorders awareness and self-care so that patients can enjoy a better quality of life,” said Leong Sook Fun, Country Division Head of the Consumer Health Division of Bayer Co. (Malaysia).
“In this busy world, self-care is more important than ever. As a leading consumer health care company with a portfolio of trusted brands that continue to make a difference in the lives of consumers, Bayer believes it is important to use its leadership position to champion better self-care to help people have better, healthier lives,” added Leong.
Present at the forum in support of World Allergy Day 2017 to give the public a better understanding on allergies and eating right were Dr Amir Hamzah Dato’ Abdul Latiff, Consultant in Clinical Immunology, Allergy and Paediatrics at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Associate Professor Dr Adrian Yong Sze Wai, Head of Dermatology in University Malaya Medical Centre and Mary Easaw, Chief Dietician at National Heart Institute.
“The prevalence of allergic disorders worldwide has increased drastically over the past decade that experts speak in terms of an epidemic-like situation which will continue to rise.
“Depending on the types of allergic diseases as well as the age groups, it is estimated that 10-40% of the world’s population is affected by one or more allergic conditions and this figure is expected to grow with rapid urbanisation,” said Amir Hamzah.
“In view of its prevalence, allergy must be viewed as a major healthcare problem. It is therefore important for the public to learn more about allergies and try to prevent them from happening because most allergies are preventable,” added Amir, Hamzah who is also the President of the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI).
This year, the World Allergy Organisation (WAO) is addressing the need for greater awareness and understanding of urticaria during World Allergy Week 2017. Urticaria is a common but disturbing allergic condition of the skin. Urticaria is a highly prevalent condition resulting in large numbers of medical consultations worldwide. Although urticaria has a tremendous impact on patient’s quality of life, it is often disregarded as a trivial disease by many physicians.
Speaking at the forum, Associate Professor Adrian Yong highlighted “Urticaria is common, very uncomfortable and can be embarrassing for patients due to the physical appearance of the rash and the associated itch that can last for a few years.
“However, with adequate education, patients are empowered to combat and minimise the detrimental effects of under-treated urticaria on their quality of life.”
Yong added, “There are numerous causes for itching besides allergy and it is important that the public is made aware of the potential causes so that their underlying condition can be managed in an efficient and timely manner.”
”We hope with initiative such as this health forum with Bayer we are able to provide better understanding and beneficial information to Watsons customers and the public,” said Foo Hwei Jiek, Acting Head of Trading, Watsons Malaysia.
This health forum is in line with #GETACTIVE campaign launched recently by Watsons Malaysia to encourage its customers to lead a healthy living lifestyle.
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