14-Dec-15 Chinese consumers spent RMB65 bn (USD10 bn) buying medicines, healthcare products and services on Alibaba’s Chinese retail sites in 2014, up 63% from a year earlier. In addition, sales of nursing care services grew 205% on Singles’ Day, while sales of health insurance increased 432% on Alibaba’s sites, including the huge Taobao and Tmall marketplaces. [image: International Supermarket News]

11-Dec-15 Countries worldwide are embarking on health system reforms that move them closer to universal health coverage (UHC), in many cases with a clear pro-poor focus. There is a wealth of guidance on the technical aspects of UHC, such as designing health service packages and developing health financing. However, there is very little practical guidance on how to implement these policies. [image: Medicus Mundi Suisse]

11-Dec-15 India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) have met with medical device association representatives to discuss how the country can become a hub for device manufacturing and begin to align with global regulations. The discussion centered on increasing device exports and evaluating new guidance for the industry. [image: RAPS]

11-Dec-15 Pantai Holdings, part of IHH, is planning to expand its operations to Malaysia's east coast states as part of its strategy to make private healthcare services available nationwide. Chairman Datuk Annuar Abdullah said the company had yet to decide whether its first hospital on the east coast will operate under the brand name of Pantai or Gleneagles. [image: The Star]

11-Dec-15 Singapore will seek to improve healthcare accessibility for patients, and promote innovation in medical technology, the Minister for Trade and Industry has said. To boost healthcare accessibility, he said the healthcare workforce has to grow by 50% by 2020. Singapore will also add at least 1,700 acute beds and double the number of community hospital beds to 3,000. [image: APACMed]