Written by : Dr. Aishwarya Sarthe
February 4, 2025
The collaboration aims to enhance hypertension management by ensuring reliable home monitoring and increasing public awareness of the risks associated with inaccurate BP readings.
Alpro Pharmacy, Malaysia’s largest community pharmacy chain, has partnered with OMRON Healthcare to combat the growing issue of counterfeit and substandard blood pressure (BP) monitors.
The collaboration aims to enhance hypertension management by ensuring reliable home monitoring and increasing public awareness of the risks associated with inaccurate BP readings.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, hypertension affects 3 in 10 Malaysians, but only two-thirds are aware of their condition. The 2023 survey further revealed that 52% of affected individuals do not have their blood pressure under control.
Inaccurate BP readings due to counterfeit devices further contribute to the mismanagement of the condition, increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications.
"To control hypertension effectively, having a blood pressure monitor at home is crucial, and the accuracy of the monitor plays a significant role in achieving better health outcomes," said Ph Lim En Ni, Chief Pharmacist & Engagement Director of Alpro Pharmacy.
"Through this partnership with OMRON, we are proud to offer free accuracy checks for BP monitors at our outlets nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak, ensuring that our customers can rely on their devices for precise readings and informed healthcare decisions."
As part of the initiative, Alpro Pharmacy and OMRON Healthcare offer free BP monitor accuracy checks at Alpro outlets across Malaysia.
This service is intended to help consumers verify the reliability of their devices and ensure they are using accurate tools for hypertension management.
Additionally, this partnership will conduct a research project to assess the benefits of home BP monitoring. The findings will educate the public and reinforce the importance of reliable BP measurement in preventive healthcare.
"We are delighted to collaborate with Alpro Pharmacy to enhance public awareness of accurate home BP monitoring," said Andre Van Gils, Senior General Manager, Global Sales and Marketing Group HQ, OMRON Healthcare
"Accurate readings are essential for effective hypertension management, and we look forward to making reliable BP monitors and services more accessible to Malaysians. This is another step forward in realizing our 'Going for Zero, Preventive Care for the Health of Society' vision to enhance cardiovascular health awareness and prevent incidents."
Ph. Lim En Ni further emphasized, "At Alpro, our mission is to empower the community with better health knowledge and services. By promoting accurate home BP monitoring, we hope to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and improve overall health outcomes in Malaysia."