Inside Women's Health in Focus: A global summit driving change in women's healthcare
Women's Health in Focus brought together medical professionals, researchers and wellness enthusiasts at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre over two intensive days
On June 16 and 17, Women's Health in Focus: A Global Summit brought together medical professionals, researchers and wellness enthusiasts at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Hosted by Tatler Front & Female Awards nominee Maaike Steinebach and founder of Femtech Future, a boutique advisory firm for women's health and femtech; and Gen.T honouree Anca Griffiths, CEO and co-founder of OM Health Hub, the gathering addressed the blind spot in modern medicine.
'Anca and I are here because we had a dream, where women truly understand their bodies and feel equipped to take control of their health. A dream where companies recognise that supporting women's health isn't a perk, but smart business and the right thing to do. A dream where investors stop calling women's health 'niche' and start seeing it as one of the fastest moving sectors in innovation.'
The Women's Health in Focus's opening discussion featured Alyson J McGregor, author of Sex Matters , and Marjorie Jenkins, who exposed the gender bias embedded in contemporary healthcare with precision. Their panel set the tone for an event that refused to accept the status quo. It revealed that women spend 25 per cent more time in poor health than men on average, a gap which, if closed, could add more than US$1 trillion to the global economy annually by 2040.
See also : How a billion-dollar dowry led Gigi Chao to fight for everyone's right to wed and why marriage equality in Hong Kong could finally be within reach
Photo 1 of 17 Anca Griffiths and Maaike Steinebach (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 2 of 17 Marjorie Jenkins, Anca Griffiths and Alyson J. McGregor (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 3 of 17 Kristina Snaith-Lense, Maaike Steinebach and Claire Melwani (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 4 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 5 of 17 Fiona Nott, Yanie Soo, Sharmeen Shroff and Cassandra Szoeke (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 6 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 7 of 17 Christopher Asandra, Lindsay Jang, Isabella Daza and Jill Van Vugt (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 8 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 9 of 17 Iza Calzado Wintle served as the event's emcee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 10 of 17 Jen Wannenmacher served as the event's emcee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 11 of 17 Anca Griffiths (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 12 of 17 Sara Jane Ho and Maaike Steinebach (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 13 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 14 of 17 Elisabeth Sorrentino, Anca Griffiths, Maaike Steinebach and Sarah Vee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 15 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 16 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Photo 17 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
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Tatler Asia
16 hours ago
- Tatler Asia
Inside Women's Health in Focus: A global summit driving change in women's healthcare
Women's Health in Focus brought together medical professionals, researchers and wellness enthusiasts at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre over two intensive days On June 16 and 17, Women's Health in Focus: A Global Summit brought together medical professionals, researchers and wellness enthusiasts at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Hosted by Tatler Front & Female Awards nominee Maaike Steinebach and founder of Femtech Future, a boutique advisory firm for women's health and femtech; and Gen.T honouree Anca Griffiths, CEO and co-founder of OM Health Hub, the gathering addressed the blind spot in modern medicine. 'Anca and I are here because we had a dream, where women truly understand their bodies and feel equipped to take control of their health. A dream where companies recognise that supporting women's health isn't a perk, but smart business and the right thing to do. A dream where investors stop calling women's health 'niche' and start seeing it as one of the fastest moving sectors in innovation.' The Women's Health in Focus's opening discussion featured Alyson J McGregor, author of Sex Matters , and Marjorie Jenkins, who exposed the gender bias embedded in contemporary healthcare with precision. Their panel set the tone for an event that refused to accept the status quo. It revealed that women spend 25 per cent more time in poor health than men on average, a gap which, if closed, could add more than US$1 trillion to the global economy annually by 2040. See also : How a billion-dollar dowry led Gigi Chao to fight for everyone's right to wed and why marriage equality in Hong Kong could finally be within reach Photo 1 of 17 Anca Griffiths and Maaike Steinebach (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 2 of 17 Marjorie Jenkins, Anca Griffiths and Alyson J. McGregor (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 3 of 17 Kristina Snaith-Lense, Maaike Steinebach and Claire Melwani (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 4 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 5 of 17 Fiona Nott, Yanie Soo, Sharmeen Shroff and Cassandra Szoeke (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 6 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 7 of 17 Christopher Asandra, Lindsay Jang, Isabella Daza and Jill Van Vugt (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 8 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 9 of 17 Iza Calzado Wintle served as the event's emcee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 10 of 17 Jen Wannenmacher served as the event's emcee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 11 of 17 Anca Griffiths (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 12 of 17 Sara Jane Ho and Maaike Steinebach (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 13 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 14 of 17 Elisabeth Sorrentino, Anca Griffiths, Maaike Steinebach and Sarah Vee (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 15 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 16 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak) Photo 17 of 17 Inside the summit (Photo: courtesy of Nicole Burak)
Malaysian Reserve
13-06-2025
- Malaysian Reserve
Japan firms face fines if they fail to protect workers from heat
TOUGHER rules being enforced in Japan will see employers fined if they fail to take adequate precautions to protect workers from extreme temperatures. The revised legislation, which came into effect June 1, is a rare global example of a national-level policy on heat safety for employees and comes after 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries last year associated with high temperatures, according to the Health Ministry's data. Most of those affected, worked in construction or manufacturing. Japan's government moved to strengthen protections following last summer's searing heat — which included the highest July temperatures on record, the ministry said in a statement. Businesses will face potential penalties including fines of 500,000 yen (RM15,000) if provisions aren't sufficient. Heatstroke is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by dangerously high body temperature that can result in severe organ damage if not treated quickly. There were almost half a million heat- related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, according to a report last year by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Along with public health impacts, higher temperatures can impact worker productivity and there's growing concern about the economic toll that heat waves have on economies. Global average temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in 2024 and new highs are forecast to be recorded over the next five years, according the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). Japan's legislation requires employers to implement protocols to quickly spot and aid workers showing symptoms of heatstroke. Policies encourage companies to use a buddy system at work sites, distribute wearable devices to monitor staff and provide emergency transportation to hospitals or clinics. Employers are urged to monitor the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index, a gauge of heat stress in direct sunlight that takes into account factors like temperature and humidity. Specific measures are required for work sites where the index value exceeds 28°C or an atmospheric temperature of 31°C for more than one hour, or for a total of four hours or more in a single day. A worker performing moderate work intensity loses half of their work capacity at 33°C to 34°C, according to a 2019 study from the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The same report estimated the economic impact of heat stress by 2030 at US$2.4 trillion (RM11.3 trillion) if greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) aren't cut. 'We are working on measures such as taking breaks according to the heat index and measuring internal body temperature using wearable devices,' said a spokesperson for Shimizu Corp, one of the nation's largest general contractors, which employs more than 20,000 people. The company said it is constantly updating its heatstroke policies. Parcel delivery service Yamato Transport Co plans to distribute 75,000 fan-equipped vests to workers, including those who use carts and bicycles to drop off packages. It's also installing 3,000 wet bulb index measuring devices at business locations to better track working conditions. The measures are not in response to the new law, the company said. Japan's updated policy has 'great potential to reduce the fatalities from exertional heatstroke,' said Yuri Hosokawa, an associate professor at Waseda University who studies the impact of heat on athletes. California and Washington are among US states to have developed similar rules on worker protections and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed setting a federal standard. There were an average 40 recorded fatalities a year in the US related to environmental heat between 2011 and 2020, according to the Department of Labour. — Bloomberg This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
Tatler Asia
10-06-2025
- Tatler Asia
‘We have very little data on Asian women's health': Why femtech innovation is urgently needed
The research deficit crisis We only have very little data and research on the female body, even less on Asian women. - Maaike Steinebach - The global research deficit in women's health creates particular challenges across Asia. Women weren't required in clinical studies until 1994, and animal testing was conducted exclusively on male animals until 2014. 'Earlier, women were treated like little men. Also, a lot of research was mainly done on white women. Even now, lots of the research is not disaggregated based on sex. So we only have very little data and research on the female body, less on Asian women, African American women, African women and even less than that on mixed-race women,' says Steinebach. This creates what Steinebach describes as a cascade effect: 'This research gap leads to a lack of knowledge about their unique health needs and creates a care gap—the care women need and what they can get from the existing healthcare system—which in turn results in a treatment gap.' Fertility, mental health and an ageing population Above Beyond reproductive health, femtech can identify several critical areas, such as mental health support and brain health support There are several promising areas of opportunity in the femtech space in Asia, and obviously menstruation, reproductive health and maternal care are critical areas that need to be addressed. But beyond this, there is also a substantial gap in mental health support. 'Mental health support tailored for women, who are two times more prone to depression and mental health issues than men due to their hormones, is increasingly important,' Steinebach says. She adds that menopause and ageing-related health solutions are massively underserved markets, as women in Asia are now outliving men and their global peers. 'Due to the lack of knowledge and conversation about these topics, many women navigate these life stages without adequate resources.' Beyond reproductive health, Steinebach identifies critical areas: 'The integration of technology in health education and awareness can empower women to take charge of their health, creating numerous opportunities for innovative startups in the sexual health space (for example HPV), heart health space (globally the no 1 cause of death for women) and brain health space (two-third of all global Alzheimer patients are women).' The economic case Every dollar invested in women's health generates $3 in GDP. - Maaike Steinebach - The business case extends beyond healthcare outcomes. Steinebach presents compelling data to stakeholders: 'I work with governments to show them how every dollar invested in women's health generates $3 in GDP, so taking care of women is not just good for women, but also good for business and the economy.' This supports investment for corporates looking to 'attract or retain talent or to meet their ESG goals, for insurance companies to provide better-suited products to meet the lifecycle of women.' Opportunity for Hong Kong in the femtech space Hong Kong's strategic position offers unique advantages in the femtech sector. As a gateway to mainland China and Southeast Asia, locally developed solutions could serve hundreds of millions of women across the region. 'By fostering collaboration among stakeholders, governments, healthcare providers and tech innovators in Asia, we can create a supportive ecosystem that drives positive change in women's health across Asia,' Steinebach says.
