By John Graham, Group CEO, Zuellig Pharma

 

The last several years have reinforced the importance of fortifying healthcare systems to cope with emerging threats and evolving challenges that arise. By 2050, one in four people in Asia and the Pacific will be over 60 years old. The trend of aging populations around the world will only continue to grow exponentially, with this population expected to triple in the next 30 years to nearly 1.3 billion people. In response, many economies in Asia have increasingly pushed for a preventative care approach, in the hopes of managing the burden that aging populations will pose to healthcare systems. 

 

However, challenges remain in ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to the healthcare they require. The WTW Global Medical Trends Survey found that medical costs are projected to remain high in Asia at 12.3% growth in 2025, with this trend set to continue in the coming years due issues such as a lack of preventative services engaged, new medical technologies and solutions. 

 

With these issues in mind, it is critical for healthcare systems to shore up on capabilities to support and accommodate the care of those in their senior years and patients with complex comorbidities. To meet these challenges, healthcare systems would need to include targeted supplies and treatments to cope with the impending burden of an aging population.

 

This includes strengthening life course immunisation programmes, especially for the elderly populations. However, Asia is a region where vaccination rates remain historically low beyond childhood. ountries such as Malaysia and Thailand only see vaccination rates of 2 – 3% and 20% respectively for diseases like influenza, which can result in an uptick of hospitalisations for the older population during flu seasons, putting a strain on already buckling healthcare systems.

 

To integrate life-course immunisation into population health policies would require not only a stronger approach to education and awareness amongst adults and the elderly, but also a boost in accessibility and affordability to these vaccines through sustainable financing and good infrastructure for vaccine delivery, all of which require a multi-stakeholder approach.

 

Challenges in localising affordability and access, and the importance of cross-sector collaboration

 

Developments in recent years have highlighted key challenges in increasing healthcare affordability in today’s dynamic market. These include rising healthcare costs due to fluctuating economic stability, limited access to healthcare, shortages in human resources and infrastructure, and lasting effects from the pandemic causing limited population-wide progress on outcome goals.

 

New drug modalities, including those in the cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity segment, alongside emerging therapies such as those in the cell and gene market are also poised to address key challenges faced by populations globally.

 

However, these unprecedented advancements also come with issues regarding affordability and access at scale, and consequently new challenges for drug delivery. Communicating the value that these drugs and therapies deliver will also be a crucial hurdle for companies looking to launch new solutions in the market, in order for products to reach the patients that need them most, and in a timely and efficient manner.

 

Healthcare providers need to look beyond public realms and explore strategies that can involve increased cross-sector collaboration with innovators, life sciences companies and the private sector in order to provide patients with a robust healthcare ecosystem that can support their needs.

 

Working collaboratively with various stakeholders across both the private, public and nonprofit sectors, and building better mechanisms can build in buffers for future large-scale health emergencies and crises will alleviate such challenges. Closer partnerships will also enable providers to more effectively navigate complex payor negotiation processes, and improve workflows for delivery and manufacturing, all of which play a critical role in improving affordability, accessibility and overall health outcomes for the patient.

 

Nurturing such relationships and developing multilateral ties across industries and regions can also alleviate healthcare challenges at present more efficiently, and future-proof our value chains.

 

What closer partnerships in the industry can do for accessibility

 

Strategic partnerships with on-ground players allow private stakeholders to understand and adapt local infrastructure to serve market-specific needs and expand their reach to rural areas. This is especially key for fragmented geographies such as Indonesia, which alone is composed of some 17,500 islands.

 

Working with providers such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and even supermarkets in emerging regions will allow healthcare solutions to better reach the underserved populations that need them most. Closer working relationships with healthcare professionals, who are the main touchpoints for patients, to educate and improve capabilities will also boost patient outcomes through education and more patient-centric care.

 

A greater number of public-private partnerships forged can also ensure an optimal environment for companies and public institutions to innovate, expand domestic research capabilities and share knowledge, therefore building resilience within local healthcare ecosystems and benefitting patients.

 

Closer collaborations between healthcare institutions, regulatory agencies and manufacturers will also positively impact speed to market for crucial healthcare solutions and open up new opportunities for reimbursement and subsidies of new drugs, vaccines and therapies.

 

Robust supply chain networks as a crucial factor in increasing healthcare access

 

Supply chain resilience is also key in increasing access to healthcare while maintaining affordability. Effective and efficient supply chain management keeps costs low and ensures that patients get access to the life-saving medicines they need. At the same time, exploring alternative solutions to make the procurement of healthcare products and management of supply chains much more streamlined is also key. This includes leveraging digital solutions and finding the right balance between automation and new ways of working.

 

Access to healthcare will continue to be one of the most pressing issues facing the world’s ageing populations, and numerous challenges are set to exacerbate already vulnerable value chains. It is therefore important that the industry continues to work hand in hand with the public sector and leverage extensive knowledge networks and innovation to meet these issues head-on, lest we find ourselves unprepared to meet the next global health crisis.