SINGAPORE, July 18 – In an effort to improve heart health and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) across nine countries in Asia, various stakeholders have come together to launch the Asia-Pacific Cardiovascular Disease Alliance (APAC CVD Alliance). The coalition consists of patient organizations, allied health professionals, academia, corporate partners, and a global health think-tank. CVD is the leading cause of death in the Asia-Pacific region, with a significant increase in premature deaths observed in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia over the past two decades.
In 2019 alone, heart disease claimed the lives of over 10 million individuals in Asia, accounting for 35% of all deaths in the region. The APAC CVD Alliance aims to raise public and policy awareness regarding the importance of addressing CVD in regional and domestic forums across Asia. It also seeks to promote the implementation of scalable and sustainable CVD innovations in all healthcare systems throughout the region. Additionally, the alliance emphasizes the necessity of investing in CVD to ensure healthy societies and productive economies.
The growing affluence, rapid urbanization, and aging populations in Asia have led to an increasing burden of CVD, resulting in rising costs and poor health outcomes. Dr. Tony Badrick, President of the Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (APFCB), stressed the importance of accurate and rapid diagnoses for individuals with CVD. The APFCB aims to improve laboratory practices and capacity building to facilitate early detection and treatment of CVD and other non-communicable diseases.
To tackle the rising prevalence of CVD in the region, the APAC CVD Alliance will adopt a patient-centered approach across all stages of CVD care, including prevention, early detection, treatment, cardiac rehabilitation, and step-down care. The alliance’s strategic partners include the Asia-Pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Global Alliance for Patient Access, Global Heart Hub, and Universiti Teknologi MARA Faculty of Medicine in Malaysia. Corporate partners such as Amgen, Novartis, and Roche Diagnostics have also joined the coalition.
The APAC CVD Alliance aims to unite diverse stakeholders to ensure patient voices are heard and policies are developed with patients at the center. By forging interdisciplinary and multisectoral partnerships, the alliance seeks to address the diverse socio-economic and cultural factors influencing CVD in the Asia-Pacific region. The secretariat for the APAC CVD Alliance is ACCESS Health International, a global health think-tank, based in Singapore as its regional hub for Southeast Asia.
The alliance intends to leverage existing efforts in combating CVD and improve investment in CVD innovations, policies, care models, and services across all health systems. The formation of the APAC CVD Alliance marks a significant step forward in tackling the rising prevalence of heart disease in Asia. By bringing together various stakeholders, the coalition aims to drive positive change, promote better healthcare access, and reduce the burden of CVD on individuals, families, and communities in the region.
