UCSI University (Malaysia) and their collaborators at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (Malaysia) and the Universiti Teknologi MARA (Malaysia), together with The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom) and the University of the Philippines Manila (the Philippines), launched RESPOND [the Responsive and Equitable Health System-Partnership on Non-communicable Diseases], the International Research Project sponsored by the Newton Fund - Wellcome Trust and MRC Humanities & Social Science Collaborative Award, in the Philippines on the 20th October 2016.

 

This collaborative research project will produce the knowledge necessary to overcome health system barriers, and to establish optimal management of hypertension among poor and vulnerable households in Malaysia and the Philippines. 

RESPOND launch has been introduced by:

• Senior Prof Dato’ Dr Khalid Yusoff, Vice-Chancellor and president of UCSI University

• Prof Martin McKee, Medical Director and Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

 

The invitees who attended RESPOND launch had the opportunity to discuss present issues that are critical to improving access and adherence to hypertension care for the low-income communities, and existing initiatives to address these. These feedbacks have contributed to the final design of the research project. Invitees had also the opportunity to meet the RESPOND team and networked with stakeholders from multiple sectors engaged in the control of non-communicable disease in Malaysia.