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Kenanga Investors Earns Coveted Accolades At The FSMOne Recommended Unit Trust Awards 2023/2024

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 10 July 2023 – Kenanga Investors Berhad has received three prestigious awards at the FSMOne Recommended Unit Trust Awards 2023/2024. The Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 (“KGFS2”), Kenanga Shariah Growth Opportunities Fund (“KSGOF”) and the Kenanga Shariah OnePRS Growth Fund (“KSOGF”) have won the Sector Equity – Malaysia Focused, Sector Equity – Malaysia Small to Medium Companies (Islamic), and the Private Retirement Scheme – Growth (Islamic) awards respectively.

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From left to right;
Dennis Tan Yik Kuan, Managing Director of iFAST Capital Sdn Bhd.
Lee Sook Yee, Chief Investment Officer of Kenanga Investors Berhad

This marks KGFS2 and KSGOF’s second consecutive wins in their respective categories. This achievement serves as a testament to the firm’s unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding investment solutions and solidifies its prominent position as a leader in the field.

The firm adopts both a top-down and bottom-up research in portfolio construction. “After deciding on the asset allocation including invested and cash levels, the portfolio is constructed based on sector and stock selection. High conviction stocks are given higher allocation in the portfolio unless there is a liquidity constraint”, says Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis. He explains that during periods of higher volatilities, the investment team may tactically scale back equity exposure to stay defensive.

“As we navigate the current market conditions, characterised by potential volatility and the Federal Reserve’s focus on combating inflation, our investment strategy remains prudent,” commented Datuk Wira De Alwis. “We will adopt a balanced approach with regard to market and sector positioning. While domestic fundamentals and valuation remain supportive, the market might still be affected by global risk events. Sector-wise, we continue to favour the consumer and industrials sector. We have also observed trading opportunities in the oil & gas sector while we adopt a buy on weakness stance for the tech sector as the key beneficiary of long-term growth trends”.

The KSGOF fund has achieved impressive returns of 154.46% since inception, outperforming its benchmark of 71.71%. Similarly, the KGFS2 fund has demonstrated sustainable performance, delivering returns of 49.53% against a benchmark of 46.06% since inception while KSOGF has shown commendable returns of 9.90% compared to a benchmark of 4.95% since inception, illustrating its ability to generate consistent growth over the long term.

Datuk Wira De Alwis explains that the firm remains committed to offering investors a wide range of diversification options, as evidenced by the latest addition to its product line-up, the Kenanga US Dollar Fund. “The Fund aims to cater to investors seeking a regular stream of income, specifically targeting those with a medium to short-term investment horizon by investing in The U.S. Dollar Fund, providing investors with exposure to the U.S. dollar and its potential returns. The Fund’s performance will be benchmarked against the Maybank USD Overnight Deposit Rate and has an initial investment amount of USD50,000”.

The FSMOne Recommended Unit Trust Awards honours the unit trusts that make it to the Recommended Unit Trust list of the year. Each fund is evaluated based on performance, risk and other factors such as consistency in the fund manager’s investment approach, the departure of key personnel as well as the stability of the management team.

For more information about Kenanga Investors, please visit www.kenangainvestors.com.my.

*Source of investment performance: Lipper, 30 April 2023

Hashtag: #Kenanga

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358 (353563-P)

We provide investment solutions ranging from collective investment schemes, portfolio management services, and alternative investments for retail, corporate, institutional, and high net worth clients via a multi-distribution network.

The Hong Kong-based Asia Asset Management’s 2023 Best of the Best Awards awarded KIB under the following categories, Malaysia Best Impact Investing Manager, Malaysia Best Equity Manager, Malaysia CEO of the Year, Malaysia Best House for Alternatives and Malaysia Most Improved Fund House.

At the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards Malaysia 2023, KIB won overall best Mixed Assets – Malaysia Pension Funds Group award for the fourth time. Accompanying this were individual fund wins awarded to:

  • Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund (“KMIF”) for best Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years
  • Kenanga Managed Growth Fund (“KMGF”) for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible – Malaysia Provident Funds over 3 Years
  • Kenanga Managed Growth Fund (“KMGF”) for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible – Malaysia Provident Funds over 5 Years
  • Kenanga Managed Growth Fund (“KMGF”) for best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years

The Asset Benchmark Research has ranked KIB as Highly Commended on its list of ‘Top Investment Houses’ in the Asian Local Currency Bond Awards for Asset Managers.

At the United Nations Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (“UNGCMYB”) Sustainability Performance Awards 2022, we received the “Sustainable Products” award for our launch of sustainable products, which cover the Kenanga Sustainability Series – a suite of multi-asset class products rooted in sustainability considerations to advance long-term financial growth for investors and to generate social and financial value for surrounding communities. The award also recognised the first SRI-qualified high yield bond fund in Malaysia, the Kenanga Sustainability Series: High Yield Bond Fund.

The FSMOne Recommended Unit Trusts Awards 2023/2024 named Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 as “Sector Equity – Malaysia Focused”, Kenanga Shariah Growth Opportunities Fund as “Sector Equity – Malaysia Small to Medium Companies (Islamic)” and Kenanga Shariah OnePRS Growth Fund as “Private Retirement Scheme – Growth (Islamic)”.

For the sixth consecutive year, KIB was affirmed an investment manager rating of IMR-2 by Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad, since first rated in 2017. The IMR rating on KIB reflects the fund management company’s well-established investment processes and sound risk management practices. During the first half of 2021, KIB’s 20 largest unit trust funds outperformed its benchmarks for the one-year, three-year and five-year periods

Disclaimer: Investors are advised to read and understand the Master Prospectuses (“MPs”), the Supplemental Master Prospectus (“SMP”) (if any), Information Memorandums (“IM”) (if any), Product Highlights Sheets (“PHS”) as well as consider the fees, charges and risk factors involved before investing. The MP, SMP (if any), IM (if any) and PHS have been registered and/or lodged with the Securities Commission Malaysia (“SC”), who takes no responsibility for its contents and related advertisement or marketing materials, does not indicate that the SC has recommended or endorsed the product/service. The advertisement has not been reviewed by the SC. Investors have the right to request for a copy of PHS and other relevant product disclosure documents which are available at our office, at any authorised distributors and our corporate website before making investment decisions. If you are in doubt when considering the investment or any of the information provided, you are advised to consult a professional adviser. A Fund’s track record does not guarantee its future performance. Kenanga Investors Berhad is committed to prevent conflict of interest between its various businesses and activities and between its clients/director/shareholders and employees by having in place procedures and measures for identifying and properly managing any apparent, potential and perceived conflict of interest by making disclosures to Clients, where appropriate. Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358.

Freshippo Officially Launches Largest Supply Chain Operations Center in Shanghai

First automated park deploying cold chain logistics distribution technologies

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 July 2023 – Freshippo, Alibaba Group’s digital intelligence-powered new retail company, has officially launched its supply chain center in Shanghai. The center, with a total area of nearly 1 million square feet, has the largest area of any Freshippo supply chain center, boasts the highest technological capabilities, and has received the greatest investment.

In July 2023, Freshippo officially launched its supply chain center in Shanghai.
In July 2023, Freshippo officially launched its supply chain center in Shanghai.


The center, located in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, took 3 years to build. It is a comprehensive supply center that integrates the processing of agricultural products, research and development into ready-to-eat food, the cold storage of semi-finished food, a centralized kitchen, and cold chain logistics distribution. As the fresh supply hub for Freshippo in Shanghai, the center not only supports over a hundred of Freshippo Supermarkets, Freshippo X Clubs and other retail store formats in Shanghai, but also covers the whole east China region, including areas such as Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Hefei.

“The announcement of the center marks the upgrading of Freshippo’s new retail supply chain. It will be driven by data to promote the full automation of Freshippo’s warehouse operations and management. At the same time, it will use Freshippo’s special central kitchens to greatly improve the efficiency of our supply chain, and will reduce operating costs and fully process various agricultural products to add business value”, explained Hao Jingbin, director of Freshippo supply chain center.

“This is Freshippo’s first wholly automated park, which includes an automated cold chain fresh processing center and a series of logistics automation facilities systems. It also leverages technologies such as 5G, the Internet of Things and blockchain to achieve full automation and digitization of the entire supply chain, which helps to improve supply chain efficiency and reduce operational costs.”

Freshippo has deployed automated equipment such as AGV in its supply chain center.
Freshippo has deployed automated equipment such as AGV in its supply chain center.

The center leverages automated equipment such as automated guided vehicles (AGV), robotic arms and cross-belt sorters. AGVs use QR code and inertial navigation technologies, which allow them to be deployed on the cloud server during the product sorting process. Based on intelligent algorithms, the vehicles can follow the optimal path and work together to transport unpacked goods. Through this process, the center can sort more than 2.8 million items per day.

Tang Lei, director of Freshippo Shanghai Centralized Kitchen, said, “Another major feature of the supply chain center is its centralized kitchen, where fresh ingredients are processed into prepared dishes, complementing the full supply chain process of Freshippo’s private brand prepared dishes products from research and development to production and transportation. From raw materials to the production of fresh food, and transportation to stores, every step along the supply chain can be traced. This not only ensures high standards of food safety, but also greatly improves the iteration speed and promotion efficiency of self-developed food, to help Freshippo vigorously develop prepared dishes, so that consumers can quickly enjoy delicious fresh food of Freshippo’s own brand in the busy urban life.”

Since its establishment, Freshippo has vigorously developed its fresh logistics supply chain and built a backbone logistics network, putting its seven supply chain centers in northwest, southwest, central and east China into production one after another. Freshippo is devoted to building a large-scale fresh multi-temperature layer logistics system to better serve consumers nationwide.

Hashtag: #Freshippo

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Freshippo

Freshippo is Alibaba Group’s digital intelligence-powered new retail company. Headquartered in Shanghai, Freshippo operates more than 300 stores across 27 cities in mainland China.

Accidents in June Claim 55 Lives in Laos

Road Accidents in June Kills 55 in Laos
A white vehicle collided with another car on Lane Xang Avenue in Vientiane Capital (photo: Lao Security News)

Laos witnessed a total of 459 accidents in June that resulted in the tragic loss of 55 lives, as reported by the Traffic Police Department at the Ministry of Public Security.

Scientists Uncover Role of Underground Fungi in Combating Air Pollution

The world’s battle against air pollution and climate change may have found an unexpected ally in an ancient and powerful organism: fungi.

Pump Up The Adrenaline With iShopChangi’s Mega Brands Festival — Up To 80% Off Sitewide

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 8 July 2023 – From 10 July to 31 July 2023, non-travellers can indulge in a plethora of unbeatable deals and exclusives across all categories with iShopChangi. With sitewide discounts across the board, including beauty, wines & spirits, electronic goods, and exclusives from renowned brands and more, gear up for marked down prices on all your favourites!

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Discover Exclusive Deals and Indulge in Luxurious Beauty and Wines & Spirits

Get ready for an extraordinary shopping experience as everything beauty and wines & spirits is accompanied by an incredible array of sitewide vouchers and exclusive promotions. Brace yourself for the ultimate splurge season and indulge in your heart’s desires, whether you’re a beauty enthusiast or a connoisseur of fine taste.

Secure your discount codes below and unlock the door to limitless savings that will captivate your senses and elevate your lifestyle.

Mega Brands Festival (For Non-Travellers)
From 10 – 31 July 2023
Code Description
JULMBF12 12% off* with min. spend S$300, capped at S$50
JULMBF15 15% off* with min. spend S$400, capped at S$100

*Product exclusions and T&Cs apply

Beauty Sale from 10 July to 16 July

Experience the allure of self-care like never before with beauty products like the enchanting [Beauty Set] Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Regenerating Youth Treatment Lotion 200ml Set from Estée Lauder, retailing at an irresistible price of just S$189, offering an incredible 35% off the regular price of S$291. Shiseido fans can also look forward to the [Beauty Set] SHISEIDO Ultimate Power Trio Set and delight in a radiant complexion retailing at just S$215, 48% off its usual price of S$410. And don’t forget to experience the ultimate velvety matte finish with the [Beauty Set] Powder Kiss Velvet Blur Set from M.A.C. Delight in the pout-worthy set featuring a collection of M.A.C Cosmetics’ iconic Powder Kiss Velvet Blur and Lustre Lipstick – Oh Yes and achieve a flawless, velvety pout that lasts all day, all at an unbeatable price of S$48, with a generous 50% off the regular retail price of S$96.

Liquor Deals from 17 July to 23 July

In addition to the captivating beauty offerings, indulge in the sophistication and elegance of the finest wines & spirits at slashed prices from 17 July to 23 July. Discover a curated selection of exceptional alcoholic beverages, ranging from exquisite champagnes to convenient packages of sake and more.

Immerse yourself in the world of luxury beverages and savour the essence of refined taste with the [Bundle] 2x The Balvenie 12-Year Old Doublewood Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ML, going at S$224, 20% off the regular S$280 retail price. For those looking to elevate their whisky collection, take home the [Bundle] 2x Glenfiddich 18-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ML + 2 Glenfiddich 18-Year Old Miniature 50ml at just S$336, 27% off its usual price of S$460. And experience the pinnacle of sake craftsmanship with the [Bundle of 3] Dassai Junmai Daiginjo 23 at just S$318, 35% off its usual price of S$486.

Ignite Your Shopping Spree with the Electronics & July PayDay Extravaganza

Non-travellers can also get in on the excitement of their July payday and indulge in a shopping spree like no other with the electrifying Electronics and July PayDay Sale. From 24 July till the end of July, explore irresistible deals as part of the Mega Brands Festival and get your hands on the hottest electronic gadgets from brands like Nintendo, Lenovo, Oculus and more at a bargain.

Check out the codes below and be a part of the July PayDay Sale!

Mega Brand Festival – Electronics & July PayDay Sale (For Non-Travellers)
From 24 – 31 July 2023
Code Description
JULPAYDAY12 12% off* with no min. spend, capped at S$30
JULPAYDAY18 18% off min. spend S$500, capped at S$100
JULTECH8 8% off^ min. spend S$700, capped at S$60

*Product exclusions and T&Cs apply.

^Applicable to electronics category only.

Embark on a digital adventure and immerse yourself in the world of incredible savings and cutting-edge technology. Explore deals and discounts on advanced skincare technology like the Ya-Man Bloom WR Star (ACE Pro). Elevate your beauty routine and experience professional-grade results from the comfort of your home at a discounted price of S$753.48, 32% off its regular price of S$1,110.28. Also, expect items like the Bose Sport Earbuds to go at S$184.26, an exciting 33% off its usual price of S$276.85.

Up Your Chances of Being a Changi Millionaire

Prepare to be captivated by a world of unbeatable savings and dive head-first into a shopping spree like no other with the Mega Brand Festival. With all the luck now in Changi, spend S$50 or more on iShopChangi using Changi Pay and quadruple your chances of being a Changi Millionaire to win S$1M or a Porsche Macan!

To kickstart your shopping adventure, don’t miss out on the exclusive offer for new iShopChangi users. Slash another S$20 off your first purchase when you spend a minimum of S$79 by simply entering the code <ISCNEW20> at checkout. The first 1,000 new iShopChangi users who are DBS/POSB cardholders will receive a S$5 Gojek voucher too! Plus, for even more discounts, cart out with a minimum spend of S$50 using Changi Pay and enjoy S$10 off as a new sign-up.

Worried about delivery? As a non-traveller, you can cart out at tax and duty-absorbed prices on iShopChangi and have your items delivered to you for free when you spend at least S$59 and provide a Singapore residential address for delivery. Alternatively, pick up selected products from the Jewel Collection Centre. No minimum spend is required.

Hashtag: #iShopChangi


The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

iShopChangi

iShopChangi was launched in 2013 as an extension of Changi Airport’s promise to deliver greater comfort and convenience to travellers in its suite of airport retail offerings. Passengers can browse and purchase tax- and duty-free products across all terminals between 30 days to 12 hours pre-flight on the e-store – and choose to collect their items at Collection Centres within departure, upon arrival or have them delivered free in Singapore. Providing easy access to over 30,000 products across 900 brands and exclusives such as Changi First product launches, the site has since received global recognition with its award for Best Website – Retail Customer Facing at The Moodies: the Airport and Travel Retail Digital Media Awards 2018. In early 2020, the e-commerce store started to retail a selection tax- and duty-absorbed products to Singapore-based residents without the need to fly.

TCL Launches AAT Inverter+ Refrigerators in Philippines as Part of “Health Is Premium” Campaign

Alongside working with local communities to increase education on the importance of a healthy lifestyle in time for National Nutrition Month

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach – 8 July 2023 – TCL, a leading consumer electronics brand and the world’s top two TV brand, today announces the launch of its latest Automatic Anion-releasing Technology (AAT) Inverter+ Refrigerators as part of its mission to bring innovative smart domestic appliances to health-conscious audiences in the Philippines, in alignment with a new campaign “Health Is Premium” launched in conjunction with National Nutrition Month.

The Philippines National Nutrition Council (NNC) announced that July would be designated as Nutrition Month and would be dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of nutrition to Filipinos. TCL, a proud advocate of the region, is brand on a mission to help all consumers, including those in the Philippines, to lead healthier, more extraordinary lives. TCL is set to announce a new campaign during Nutrition Month, to help spread the word on the importance of fresh, healthy nutrition for all.

AAT for a Healthier, Anti-bacterial and Odor Free Refrigerator

Besides working on the new campaign, TCL is pioneering technology that will help benefit the health of consumers across the region, starting with preserving the freshness of the food they eat with its line of health focused refrigerators.

TCL’s health technology, Automatic Anion-releasing Technology (AAT) is available in its latest line up of Refrigerators. AAT entails a special mineral material being added into the cabinet lining in order to make the refrigerator bacteriostatic and amplify its purification and antioxidation properties. The material, a rare natural tourmaline ore, works by efficiently releasing negative oxygen ions which results in a 4-in-1 function of preventing bacteria, odor removal, dust removal and antioxidation.

Negative ions work by attacking bacteria, causing them to fall to the ground where they can be removed, effectively eradicating 90% more bacteria and viruses than ordinary disinfectants. The same principle can be applied to dust particles, further purifying the air. What’s more, the properties of negative ions also contribute to the migration and deposition of odor-causing particles, breaking down matter so it can be successfully neutralized leaving the fridge smelling clean.

The Best-in-Class AAT Inverter+ Refrigerator Designed to Suit All the Family’s Needs

On top of entrusting AAT technology to keep the contents of your fridge as fresh as possible, the AAT Inverter+ Refrigerators has many other smart features consumers can benefit from.

With a large capacity of 222L, 272L or 308L depending on the specific model, there is plenty of room for a whole family’s groceries.

Better still, the inbuilt Twin Eco Inverter provides more accurate temperature control whilst reducing energy consumption and noise, making it quieter, more eco-friendly, and less expensive to run

With easy-to-use operations and added high spec functions like Power Cool and Power Freeze for faster cooling and freezing capabilities, the AAT Inverter+ Refrigerator really is one of the best value refrigerators on the market.

Hashtag: #TCL

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

TCL Electronics

TCL Electronics (1070.HK) is a fast-growing consumer electronics company and a leader in the global television industry. Founded in 1981, it now operates in more than 160 markets around the world. TCL specializes in the research, development, and manufacturing of consumer electronics products ranging from TVs, audio, and smart home appliances. Visit the TCL website at https://www.tcl.com.

VinFast launched VF 3, VF 6, VF 7 and electric bikes in Vietnam

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 7 July 2023 – VinFast officially launched three new electric car models including VF 3, VF 6, VF 7, and its first e-bike models in Vietnam. The launch event was held in the exhibition series “VinFast – For a Greener Future” – reflecting the 6 year journey of the company’s rapid development from being the first Vietnamese automotive brand to becoming the global smart EV maker.

VinFast – For a Greener Future” is the largest series of electric mobility exhibitions ever held in Vietnam. The exhibition will take place in 11 cities and provinces across Vietnam over a span of 72 days from July 7 to September 17, 2023.

The inaugural exhibition, held in Hanoi from July 7 to July 9, showcases a full range of electric vehicles including e-bikes, e-scooters, e-cars and e-busses to Vietnamese customers for the first time.

VinFast introduces the mini car model VF 3 one month after its initial announcement. The VF 3 boasts a compact, modern and robust design, making it suitable for various purposes. This is an ideal car model for the majority of users who are striving towards a greener future with electric vehicles.

Alongside the VF 3, VinFast displays its two SUV models covering the B and C segments, the VF 6 and VF 7, for the first time in Vietnam. Crafted by the world-famous car designer, Torino Design, VinFast VF 6 and VF 7 feature modern and sophisticated designs. The VF 6 is designed for young families who embrace a green lifestyle, while VF 7 is the ideal choice for successful and fashionable young individuals.

Visitors attending the exhibition have the opportunity to explore Vietam’s first electric bike models. These e-bikes have a dynamic and sporty design, available in a diverse range of colors.

Furthermore, visitors can directly experience and test drive other VinFast’s electric car models, including VF e34 – the first Vietnamese e-car model, VF 5 Plus – which offers green driving and a stylish lifestyle, VF 8 – the pinnacle of technology, VF 9 – the choice for a premium experience, and various electric motorbike models.Top of Form

At the exhibition, VinFast also brings many other activities for visitors, including immersing themselves in the production atmosphere at the factory, which boasts up to 90% automation, through advanced performance technologies. They can also interact with VinFast’s Voice Assistant, or explore the detailed internal structure of each VinFast vehicle through its “car anatomy.”

In particular, at the event, the Fund “For a Greener Future” of Vingroup was officially established, contributing to the Government’s goal of zero emissions by 2050. The Fund’s mission is to promote the green journey in daily life, raise community awareness, and encourage individuals to take action from today for a green tomorrow for future generations. VinFast will deduct VND 1 million to the Fund for each car sold. Together with Vingroup and VinFast, GSM Company committed to deduct VND 1,000 for each SM Green taxi ride to the Fund.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang – Vice Chairman cum CEO of Vingroup affirmed: “For a Greener Future’ is the message presented throughout the nationwide exhibition series. VinFast, in particular, and all Vingroup subsidiaries are committed to acting together and making practical contributions to the Green and Sustainable development goals of Vietnam and humanity. I believe that, with the Fund “For a Greener Future” – together we will change awareness and create a sustainable green lifestyle for everyone.

The first exhibition “For a Greener Future” will be held at Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Palace of Culture and Labour, Hanoi, from July 7 to 9, 2023, before being rolled out in 10 other cities and provinces across Vietnam.

At the inaugural exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to engage with VinFast’s experts, car experts and electric car owners in 3 talk shows, participate in games and brand activations to receive many attractive privileges.

The topics of the three talk shows:
3:30pm – July 7, 2023: Sales and after-sales services
3:30pm – July 8, 2023: VF 3 – VF 6 – VF 7
3:30pm – July 9, 2023: VinFast owner’s experience

Hashtag: #VinFast #ForaGreenerFuture #VF3 #VF6 #VF7

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

IHiS Inks MOU with Microsoft to Deepen Collaboration and Trailblaze Generative AI and Cloud Innovation in Healthcare

Secure GPT for Healthcare Professionals powered by Azure OpenAI Service to generate insights and automate tasks for greater efficiency in healthcare.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 7 July 2023 – The Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft for deeper collaboration in generative AI and cloud innovation today. They also announced the development of the Secure GPT for Healthcare Professionals powered by Azure OpenAI Service to enable healthcare workers to generate insights and automate tasks for greater efficiency. The signing of the MOU was witnessed by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Communications and Information & Health, at the IHIS-Microsoft Generative AI Micro-Conference for discovery discussions on Generative AI and its practical applications in healthcare.

13 speakers from IHiS, Microsoft, Ministry of Health (MOH), Avanade and Epic, shared insights on a range of topics including The New Era of Intelligence in Healthcare, Key Considerations to Deploy and Scale AI, and the Use of Data Science and AI in Chronic Diseases and Mental Health. The conference was attended by over 400 clinicians, technology professionals and students from institutes of higher learning – both on site and virtually.

MOU aims to deepen collaboration in Generative AI and Cloud Innovation for Health

The MOU sets the foundation for IHiS and Microsoft to bring together different capabilities, competencies, ideas and resources to improve the day-to-day work experience for healthcare professionals and enhance the patient experience via innovations in generative AI and cloud. The MOU outlines five key aspects of collaboration between IHiS and Microsoft:

  1. Learning and discovery: cross-learning opportunities to build technical skills and domain knowledge in generative AI and cloud in health. The IHiS-Microsoft generative AI Micro-Conference is one such example.
  2. Collaboration in the entire innovation lifecycle: covering ideation, qualification, incubation, development, deployment, scaling and change management to increase adoption.
  3. Using Azure and security technologies: optimizing, automating, and modernising public healthcare IT and security infrastructure at scale to support diverse secure computing needs. This will enable public healthcare institutions to better deliver and scale up care securely, beyond the hospital to the community through advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI on a secure cloud platform.
  4. Improving clinical and operational insights through Microsoft Azure Intelligent Data Platform and Azure OpenAI Service: to build intelligent applications with generative AI to support multiple use cases for health.
  5. Harnessing Microsoft 365 on Cloud: enabling greater collaboration to enhance the daily work experience with AI-powered Microsoft 365 tools.

“This exciting collaboration with Microsoft will transform the way healthcare is delivered to improve the health of millions everyday. The intelligent collaboration tools on cloud and AI-powered platforms will not just deliver greater convenience to clinicians, it will enable better focus on patient-centric work and change the way individuals take control of their health and health outcomes”, said Ms. Ngiam Siew Ying, Chief Executive Officer of IHiS. “The Secure GPT for Healthcare Professionals will be the first of several innovations with Microsoft. What we are seeing now is only the start, as the technology improves and evolves for use in ways that will reimagine the future of health for the greater good.”

Use cases will include greater automation of tasks and transformation of clinician workflows, such as summarising clinician notes and generating responses to queries on healthcare protocols – to enable healthcare professionals to better focus on direct patient care. It could also generate greater insights, as well as enhance operational efficiencies. (Refer to Annex A for more information on the MVP)

“The democratisation of both accessible healthcare and the influence of technology like AI continue to emerge as a priority across government, as well as our customers and partners, as we build a resilient, digitally inclusive Singapore,” said Lee Hui Li, Singapore Managing Director, Microsoft. “As generative AI becomes an integral part of our work and daily lives, I’m confident that the strength and depth of our collaboration with IHiS have set foundations of trust that will fuel our work across Microsoft, as we solve the toughest healthcare challenges of our world today.”

Long-standing collaboration between IHiS and Microsoft

IHiS and Microsoft have collaborated over the past decade to deliver better patient and frontline healthcare worker experiences for Singapore. The most recent collaboration was Health Discovery Plus (HD+) that runs on Azure. Developed and first introduced by IHiS at the community care facilities during the pandemic as Health Discovery (HD), it enabled mostly asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to submit their own vital signs. The smart clinician dashboard helped flag anomalous indicators, enabling pre-defined SMS messages to be sent via a single click. As a result, a lean healthcare team could track the health of thousands of quarantined patients, while minimising the risk of exposure for them during the height of the pandemic.

HD is now known as HD+, as it is packed with more features on a mobile app with an integrated chatbot, in-app notifications and supports patients in other care settings such as polyclinics, and public hospitals – to facilitate healthcare management for medical conditions including hypertension and acute myocardial infarction. It is also available as a kiosk with multi-language support, simplified steps, and visual cues to support the elderly at senior activity centres across Singapore. As of June 2023, HD+ has supported more than 10,000 patients, collected more than 660,000 vital signs submissions and triggering over 45,000 alerts that prompted clinical interventions.

Hashtag: #Microsoft

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.