KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — With the prevalence of adult diabetes in Malaysia stubbornly high, combining technological innovation and cross-sector collaboration to build high-impact health solutions has become a key focus for the Malaysian medical community.
The “Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026” global call for proposals, driven by the International Trade Administration (TITA) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), engaged with over 300 professionals from the medical, public health, academic, and industrial sectors during the Diabetes Malaysia Conference from June 12 to 14.
The initiative garnered enthusiastic feedback from the local medical community regarding Taiwan’s health technology and innovative collaboration models.
According to the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 (NHMS), the prevalence rate of adult diabetes has reached 15.6 per cent, which equates to one in six adults living with the condition. Crucially, about 40 per cent of these individuals are unaware of their diagnosis.
Diabetes Malaysia president Prof Dr Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin expressed appreciation for the direction of “Go Healthy with Taiwan” in advocating innovative solutions to health issues. He noted that diabetes management requires turning knowledge into action, and integrating technological tools will elevate care quality and disease control outcomes.
During the conference, numerous public health and medical professionals expressed strong interest in Taiwan’s health tech sector. Dr Nurul Shuhada, a government representative, said that while her previous exposure to Taiwan’s healthcare industry was limited, the “Go Healthy with Taiwan” campaign provided deeper insights. She believes the initiative would boost local community health development and inspire fresh thinking on addressing health challenges through innovation.
Vanessa Lim, an industry professional from the pharmaceutical sector, highlighted that Taiwan possesses a highly mature foundation in medical research and innovation, offering international competitiveness across research capabilities, technological advancement, and industrialisation. She added that “Go Healthy with Taiwan” is not just a proposal competition, but a valuable platform that matches innovative ideas with industrial resources, thus accelerating health tech development.
Meanwhile, paediatric endocrinologist Dr Alexis Anand Dass Lordudass pointed out that obesity, diabetes, and metabolic diseases have become pressing regional health challenges. He believes cross-disciplinary innovation models combining smart healthcare, sports technology, and health promotion schemes will effectively raise public health awareness and preventive efficacy — areas that directly align with the core focus of “Go Healthy with Taiwan.”
The organisers noted that Malaysia’s growing interest in disease prevention, health promotion and smart healthcare applications aligns closely with the campaign’s objectives.
By connecting innovative ideas from around the world with Taiwan’s healthcare technology ecosystem, the initiative aims to facilitate impactful collaborations that transform concepts into practical solutions capable of improving health outcomes and quality of life.
The “Go Healthy with Taiwan” global call for proposals is accepting submissions until August 5. The top three winning teams will each receive a prize of US$30,000 (about RM124,000) and opportunities to collaborate with leading Taiwanese enterprises and technology platforms to build a healthier future together.
For more details on submission guidelines and registration, visit the “Go Healthy with Taiwan” website.
