Nation Thailand
Bayer urges early health checks as Asia Pacific ages rapidly
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Bayer has called for greater investment in early diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases across Asia Pacific, as rapid population ageing raises the prospect of longer lives accompanied by more years in poor health.
Key facts
- Stroke remains a major concern across Asia, where 61% of global stroke deaths occurred in 2020, accounting for approximately 4.1 million people.
- A joint World Stroke Organisation–Lancet Neurology commission projected that Asia's share could increase to 69%, or approximately 6.6 million deaths annually, by 2050.
- Research has projected that these costs could rise to as much as US$2.31 trillion a year by 2050.
- In Malaysia, non-communicable diseases imposed an estimated RM64.2 billion in economic costs in 2021, equivalent to 4.2% of gross domestic product.
- In Malaysia, an estimated one person suffers a stroke every 13 minutes, while about 40% of patients are younger than 60
- Between 10% and 16% experience another stroke within a year, according to figures cited by Bayer, with recurrence rates showing little improvement since the late 1990s.
Summary
Health & Wellness
The pharmaceutical company made the appeal at a media event in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (November 11), held alongside the Silver Economy Forum 2026.