The new tertiary hospital will be located within the NorthBank Township in Kuching, Sarawak and is targeted to launch in 2029

SINGAPORE, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Health Mangement International Pte Ltd (“HMI Medical”) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (“MoA”) with KLSE listed and Sarawak-based property and infrastructure developer, Ibraco Berhad, (“Ibraco”) for the acquisition of land for the construction of its third hospital in Malaysia. Fully owned and operated by HMI Medical, Regency Hospital Kuching, a new private specialist hospital will be located within The NorthBank township, a mixed development in Kuching Sarawak by Ibraco.

Headquartered in Singapore, HMI Medical is a leading regional healthcare provider with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. With over 27 years of healthcare delivery experiences in Malaysia, we will leverage our proven track record of established comprehensive tertiary care hospitals such as the Mahkota Medical Centre in Melaka and the Regency Specialist Hospital in Johor to operate our third hospital in Malaysia. Since 1998, the Group has actively contributed to the growth of quality private healthcare services and contributed to medical tourism in Malaysia by providing specialized treatments and high-quality care. 

Under the MoA, HMI Medical will establish a tertiary hospital in Ibraco’s NorthBank township in Kuching. The fully owned and operated Regency Hospital Kuching will be a 300-bed capacity smart specialist hospital, targeted to launch in 2029. The hospital will address the growing demand for advanced healthcare services in Kuching, across Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asia region.

Ms. Chin Wei Jia, Group Chief Executive Officer of HMI Medical said “with the strong growth of Sarawak, its increasing international connectivity and growing demand for advanced healthcare services, we are excited to establish the Regency Hospital Kuching within the NorthBank township. This project represents HMI Medical’s commitment in caring for the health and well-being of the local community and those living in surrounding states and regions.”

“The 300-bed capacity Regency Hospital Kuching will deliver comprehensive specialist and subspecialty care supported by advanced smart hospital systems, state-of-the-art medical technology, and benchmarked to internationally accredited clinical standards. Beyond meeting the state’s growing demand for advanced healthcare, the hospital will create over a thousand jobs when fully operational and offer cross-training opportunities for clinical professionals to enhance excellence in medical and patient-centered care.”

Dr Richard Chew, Senior Surgeon and Board Director for HMI Medical’s Hospitals in Malaysia said “as a Sarawakian and long-time board member of HMI Medical’s hospitals, I am proud and deeply passionate about giving back to my community and marking a new chapter for Sarawak by leading the establishment of Regency Hospital Kuching. I look forward to the hospital opening up new opportunities for economic growth and improved prosperity by positioning Sarawak and Malaysia as a premier destination for medical tourism in Southeast Asia.”

Datuk Chew Chiaw Han, Group Managing Director of Ibraco said, “We are honoured to play a role in expanding Sarawak’s healthcare sector and contributing to the state’s broader social and economic progress. The establishment of the Regency Hospital Kuching in the township represents more than just a new healthcare facility, it reflects our shared aspiration to create lasting community value through sustainable township development. Entrusting the development of the hospital to an experienced and reputable healthcare group such as HMI Medical is a natural step forward. HMI Medical’s proven expertise and strong reputation in the industry will ensure the successful delivery of the hospital and enhance confidence among residents and investors.”

The exchange of the MoA took place in Singapore and was witnessed by Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade & Industry and The Right Honourable Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, Premier of Sarawak.  

About HMI Medical

Headquartered in Singapore, HMI Medical is a growing regional private healthcare provider with over 25 years of experience across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Group serves over 3 million patients per year through a full suite of digital and physical services including its leading tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. In Singapore, the Group operates 45 primary care and health screening centres, 21 specialist centres, an 11-storey ambulatory care centre, and manages a panel of 1,500 primary and specialist clinics through its medical benefits administrative network. The Group also runs a dedicated training centre – a social enterprise focused on continuous education and community engagement. In Malaysia, it owns 2 leading Medisave-approved tertiary hospitals in Malaysia and an ambulatory care centre, namely Mahkota Medical Centre in Malacca, and Regency Specialist Hospital. The Group recently launched Regency Medical Care Centre, its first ambulatory care centre located in The Mall, Mid Valley SouthKey, 15 minutes from the Singapore Woodlands checkpoint. For more information, please visit: www.hmimedical.com/

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On October 15, the 138th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) officially opened in Guangzhou. With more than 240,000 buyers from 218 markets pre-registered for the Fair as of October 13, this session sees a 10% increase compared to the previous session. Notably, there has been significant growth in the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States, and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

With a strong emphasis on innovation, intelligence, and sustainability, the 138th Canton Fair continues to empower businesses to turn opportunities into tangible results.

Innovation is a central theme of this session. With a record-breaking lineup of more than 32,000 exhibitors, including around 3,600 first-time participants, the Fair is injecting fresh vitality and diversity into the global marketplace. More than 600 New Collection Events will be launched. 63% of the products covered in the events incorporate new technologies, while 48% feature functional upgrades.

The 138th Canton Fair also marks a new chapter in its evolution with the debut of a dedicated Smart Healthcare Zone in Phase 3 (October 31 to November 4). Designed to foster new growth engines for foreign trade, facilitate international collaboration, and strengthen the global healthcare supply chain, the zone will display cutting-edge innovations from 47 leading enterprises. Exhibits will include medical robots, intelligent diagnostic systems, and other advanced solutions that reflect the rapid-expanding of the global digital healthcare market.

Smart technology is also redefining the buyer experience. This session of the Canton Fair has fully upgraded its smart navigation services, introducing four intelligent tools: booth navigation, Complex guide systems, the ASK ME AI assistant, and smart direction kiosks. Together, they enable one-click navigation across the exhibition, helping buyers explore more efficiently and making the sourcing experience smoother and more convenient.

Sustainability takes center stage as well. Throughout the Fair, more than one million green and low-carbon products will be displayed. Additionally, a modular booth construction pilot has been launched to reduce setup time, lower costs, and minimize environmental impact through reusable “building-block” components.

By combining innovation, intelligence, and sustainability, the 138th Canton Fair reaffirms its role as a vital bridge connecting China and the world through trade, technology, and shared opportunity.

To register for your attendance, please click https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/buyer/email?source_type=16.

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The inaugural Wonderful Indonesia Wellness Festival 2025 initiative, as part of the Ministry of Tourism’s vision to elevate tourism through wellness, offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in Authentic Indonesia’s Wellness throughout November in the enchanting heart of Java: Surakarta and Yogyakarta.

“Wonderful Indonesia Wellness marks the beginning of our effort to introduce the authenticity of Indonesia’s wellness culture to the world. Through this initiative, we want to emphasize that Indonesian tourism is not only beautiful — it is also healing, calming, and rejuvenating,” said Widyanti Putri, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia.

Indonesia is a recognized beacon for wellness and a top contributor to the global wellness economy. Its success is thanks to a deep reservoir of ancestral knowledge, with age-old practices like invigorating spa rituals, calming meditation, traditional herbal medicine, and healthy culinary delights now openly shared.

The Wonderful Indonesia Wellness Festival uniquely integrates two extraordinary regional festivals:

• The Royal Surakarta Wellness Festival (RSWF): Organized by the esteemed Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat, this festival runs from November 1st to 23rd. Held in Surakarta, it draws inspiration from classical Javanese manuscripts. Immerse yourself in wisdom echoing ancient texts through workshops on Javanese etiquette, gamelan music therapy, royal dance, meditative palace walks, and herbal recipes.
• The Jogja Cultural Wellness Festival (JCWF): This festival runs from November 1st to 30th. It showcases Yogyakarta’s strength in community-driven wellness. Explore diverse programs including free yoga sessions, journaling communities, traditional jamu education, healthy culinary experiences, spiritual spa treatments, meditation at historical sites, tree-planting, and community clean-up activities.

Your Path to Rejuvenation and Connection

Why visit? The festival offers the ultimate wellness journey in Indonesia’s cultural heart. Rejuvenate your body and mind through holistic traditions amidst stunning heritage landscapes. It’s your chance to reconnect with yourself, where culture, tradition, and inner peace truly come together.

Getting to this tranquil paradise is wonderfully convenient. The cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta are easily accessible via connecting flights from Jakarta and just an hour apart by car or shuttle.

Don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity to be part of a national movement celebrating culture and empowering communities. To begin your healing journey, and more detail about the event, visit our page at https://indonesia.travel/gb/en/WonderfulIndonesiaWellness2025 

BANGKOK, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Center of Excellence in Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, has launched one of the world’s first projects to perform long-read whole genome sequencing in newborns. The initiative screens for 113 genetic diseases, with the goal of early prevention and treatment, opening a new frontier in precision medicine and improving lifelong health outcomes.

Genomic Medicine: A New Dimension in Health Care 

Modern medicine has entered a new era by decoding the genetic foundations of diseases. Genomic medicine can reveal who is prone to which illness, at what age symptoms may appear, and which medications will work best for an individual. These answers lie hidden in every person’s genetic code. Modern medicine, known as genomic medicine, has developed processes and technologies to decode an individual’s genetic information to enable more accurate and specific diagnosis, treatment, and disease prevention. 

“Why wait until a person is sick to check their genetic information? We can screen newborns and prevent symptoms before they appear, said Prof. Dr. Vorasuk Shotelersuk, Director of the Center of Excellence in Medical Genetics and Deputy Dean for Research, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. “Because our genes stay the same, we can detect disease risk from birth and intervene early.” 

This principle inspired the launch of the Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing Screening Project for Genetic Diseases in Newborns. 

The Technology: Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing

The project uses Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing, one of the world’s most advanced DNA sequencing methods, to determine if a child is at risk for serious genetic diseases. Once the data is collected, the child can be monitored and cared for. 

Professor Dr. Vorasuk revealed that this project has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, and is now recruiting volunteers (pregnant women). About 300 participants are expected in the first year. 

If abnormalities are found, children can receive early, targeted prevention and treatment. 

From “One-Size-Fits-All” to Personalized Medicine 

Professor Dr. Vorasuk said that in the past, medicine followed a population-based model: a drug might work for 90% of patients, but not for the other 10%, with no way of predicting who would respond or experience side effects. 

“Genetic sequencing changes this,” Prof. Dr. Vorasuk explained. “We can move from averages to individuals—predicting who will respond, who will not, and who may have adverse reactions.  That is personalized medicine.” 

Professor Dr. Vorasuk outlined three key terms related to the future direction of personalized medicine: 

• Personalized Medicine: Medical care focused on individual health and disease treatment. 
• Genomic Medicine: Personalized medicine using genetic sequence data for health care and treatment. 
• Precision Medicine: Personalized medicine that uses genetic data, environment, and behavior information for individualized care and treatment. 

“DNA sequencing technology has been developing since the 1970s, starting with reading a single base pair, advancing to thousands, millions, and billions of base pairs per test.” 

Today, genetic sequencing has made huge leaps, such as Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), which reads the entire genome of an organism with longer base reads, unlike the more common short-read sequencing. 

“Long-read sequencing allows us to read much longer DNA sequences, enabling better detection of complex mutations. This project will use this new technology for genetic screening in newborns.” 

How the Screening Works 

At prenatal care visits at Chulalongkorn Hospital, the medical genetics team explains the project and obtains parental consent. The procedure is safe, free of charge, and painless to both mother and baby. The genetic sequencing data will enable early disease prevention, increasing the child’s chance for good health and quality of life.  

After delivery at Chulalongkorn Hospital, doctors collect blood from the umbilical cord attached to the placenta. DNA is then extracted and sequenced. 

“Neither mother nor baby will feel pain because the blood is taken from the umbilical cord that would otherwise be discarded,” said Professor Dr. Vorasuk. 

“Blood becomes DNA, which becomes digital data for analysis,” Professor Dr. Vorasuk explained. “Humans have over 20,000 genes, but initially, we will analyze 246 genes linked to 113 treatable childhood diseases, with results delivered to parents within 60 days.” 

Why Early Genetic Knowledge Matters 

Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing reads the entire genome, but the project focuses only on severe, treatable diseases in early childhood—first 5 years of a child’s life. 

“If the mutation is related to diseases that develop in adulthood, like cancer at age 40, we will not analyze or report it,” explained Professor Dr. Vorasuk. “We focus on diseases manifesting within the first 5 years. When the child grows up, they can choose whether to learn about adult-onset risks. We don’t want to burden parents with concerns about diseases that may appear decades later.” 

Examples of detectable conditions include: 

• Blood disorders (Thalassemia) 
• Neuromuscular diseases (Muscular dystrophy) 
• Immune deficiencies (Combined immunodeficiency) 
• Hearing loss disorders (Congenital auditory nerve deafness) 
• Metabolic conditions (Phenylketonuria) 
• Lysosomal storage diseases (Fabry disease) 
• Peroxisomal and saccharide metabolism disorders (Glycogen storage disease) 
• Endocrine disorders (Congenital adrenal hyperplasia) 

“Genetic diseases begin at birth with mutations present from day zero. Symptoms may appear at birth, age 2, or even age 40. The project’s goal is to detect them early to prevent symptoms,” Professor Dr. Vorasuk said, giving examples. 

“A 2-year-old with genetic mutations causing retinoblastoma might have advanced cancer when detected by doctors, requiring eye removal and leading to blindness. This project screens for mutations early so treatment can start when tumors are small, preserving the child’s eyesight.” 

“In another example: four siblings appear healthy at birth, but around age 10, after infections like tooth decay, the siblings are given an antibiotic called aminoglycoside. Without screening, one child suddenly becomes deaf due to a gene mutation triggered by this drug. Screening newborns would reveal the mutation, allowing doctors to avoid aminoglycosides and preserve the child’s hearing.” 

Looking Ahead 

Professor Dr. Vorasuk believes genome knowledge will become a cornerstone of future health care.  

“Who would live a better life—someone who knows their genome from birth, or someone who does not?” he asked.  Knowing your genome means a higher chance of prevention, accurate diagnosis, and targeted treatment. For example, knowing a high risk for colorectal cancer enables prevention and reduces mortality. If at risk for breast cancer, early preventive measures can be taken. One day, I believe every child will be born with their genome mapped.” 

Genomic medicine is rapidly advancing, with genetic technologies increasingly applicable to complex, multifactorial diseases like diabetes, cholesterol issues, and hypertension. 

Though sequencing costs remain high, prices are falling as technology advances. If successful, this project could expand nationwide, giving all Thai children access to their genetic blueprint from birth. 

“Knowing one’s genome is the foundation of future medicine—not only for prevention and treatment, but eventually for gene editing and gene therapy,” Prof. Dr. Vorasuk added. 

For those interested in participating in newborn genetic sequencing, contact +662-256-4000 ext. 73102 to 73105 during office hours. 

Reference: Center of Excellence in Genomics and Precision Medicine 

Read the full article and view photos at: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/263392/

About Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University has made the world’s top 50 university list for employment outcomes, which reflects both the high employment rate and work ability of Chula graduates. The university is also listed as the best in Thailand for the 15th Consecutive Year (since 2009), according to the newly released QS World University Rankings 2024, putting Chula at 211th in the world, up from 244th last year.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChulalongkornUniversity

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chulauniversity

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/15101896/

LONDON, Oct. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Following two successful previous gatherings, the 3rd Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum convened at BAFTA in London today. The event brought together key players and emerging creatives from the Chinese and UK screen sectors, reinforcing its role as a vital platform for dialogue and partnership.

Hosted by Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (Radio and Television), supported by the UK’s Department for Business and Trade and organised by Phoenix TV, this year’s forum included keynote speeches, presentations, trailer screenings, and panel discussions designed to explore new avenues for collaboration.

Distinguished attendees included Rupert Daniels, Director of Services at the UK’s Department for Business and Trade; Adrian Wootton OBE, CEO of Film London & British Film Commission; LI Liyan, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the UK; YOU Haiyang, Level II Counsellor and Division Director at Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism; YIN Xin, Vice President of Shanghai Media Group. The forum was chaired by Jasmine Pang, Director of European Affairs at Phoenix TV.

A series of insightful keynote addresses were delivered by senior industry figures, including Robi Stanton, EVP and General Manager, Anz & Asia at BBC Studios; Amanda Halliday, Director of Special Projects at Pinewood Group; Jason ZHANG, Founder and Producer of Stellar Pictures; FU Wenjie, Executive Vice President of Xixi Pictures; and Roy LU, General Manager of Linmon International. The agenda also featured a fireside chat with acclaimed Chinese actor ZHANG Luyi, offering a personal perspective on creative development and cross-cultural narrative.

Presentations and trailer screenings were led by representatives from leading production and distribution companies, including Stellar Pictures, Huace Croton Media, Tencent Video, bilibili, and XG Entertainment, highlighting upcoming projects and co-production opportunities.

A dedicated panel discussion, How to Tell Global Stories across East and West, explored the nuances of creating content that resonates internationally. Participants included Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios, Jiella Esmat of 8 Lions, and Cedric Behrel of Trinity CineAsia.

By continuing to unite influential voices from two of the world’s leading screen industry hubs, the Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum cements its status as an essential annual event, dedicated to fostering innovation, partnership, and meaningful cultural exchange between China and the UK.