Digitally Inclusive, Healthy Ageing Communities (DIHAC) Study being welcomed to Malaysia on the Eve of Ramadan

Digitally Inclusive Healthy Ageing Communities (DIHAC) is a cross-cultural study being conducted in Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand since 2021, the start of Healthy Ageing Decade. It has extended to India in 2024. The study has first extended to Malaysia in February 2025.

In a significant cross-cultural milestone, the DIHAC study is set to launch in Malaysia on February 28, 2025, a day before Ramadan begins. This holy month of reflection and unity holds special meaning for the predominantly Islamic nation.

Recently Principle Investigator of the DIHAC study, Associate Professor Myo Nyein Aung has visited Malaysia for expanding the DIHAC study.

Figure: The event of Launching DIHAC study and Health Card for senior citizen at Tanjong Malim  Primary Health clinic

State and district officials joined the event led by Professor Mohd Rohaizat bin Hassan who is the investigator of DIHAC study in Malaysia. Older persons association, stake holders and public health and family medicine specialists welcomed DIHAC team from Juntendo University, Japan.

Figure 2 Honorable Dr. Raja Mohd Azim bin Haron, Public Health Medicine, Specialist Muallim District Health office ( lt) Honorable Dr Sally Khoo Yi, Public Health Specialist, Family Health Division, Perak State, Health Department (middle), Professor Mohd Rohaizat bin Hassan Public Health Specialist, Department of Public Health Medicine, UKM Faculty of Medicine (rt) opening the program and launching DIHAC study

Figure 3 Associate Professor Myo Nyein Aung, DIHAC study principal investigator from Juntendo University Japan shared healthy ageing and digital inclusion program experiences from other countries.

During the visit, Dr Myo Nyein Aung gave a lecture invited by The Medical Engineering and Technology (MET) Hub at School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Sunway. DIHAC team visited the Geron technology lab of Professor Pei-Lee Teh at School of Business Management, and Robotic and Motion Capture Lab at Monasch University, Sunway, Malaysia. Dr Alpha Agape Gopalai coordinated the lecture and the visits and discussion of ongoing research.

DIHAC team also visited to Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing) at University of Putra Malysia and discussed with Director Professor Rahimah Ibrahim, Deputy director Dr Nazim Mohtar and Professor Anom about the future collaboration for healthy ageing and long-term care in Malaysia.

Furthermore, DIHAC team also visited The Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia (UKM) and discussed with Professor Rozita binti Hod, Head of the Department, Professor Azmawati Mohammed Nawi, Professor Rohaizat bin Hassan Public Health Specialists, and graduate students at Department of Public Health Medicine, UKM Faculty of Medicine, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Figure 4 The lecture ” Community based social innovation for empowering healthy ageing and digital inclusion in different cultures” at Met Hub Symposium, Monash university, Sunway, Malaysia

DIHAC study is expected to become platform for multi-sectorial, multidisciplinary collaboration in Malaysia which is expecting very fast population ageing in coming few years.