08.11.2021

The campaign addresses the critical need for mental health resources and support to be made more widely available and accessible for Malaysians.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – 11 August 2021 – BookDoc and Pfizer Malaysia today launched “Mental Health for All”, a public awareness campaign addressing mental health concerns in Malaysia. The campaign aims to provide resources and encourage help seeking behaviors and self-care practices, leveraging medical expertise and technology to connect with members of the public.

“The pandemic has revealed the urgency and necessity for educational resources and opportunities to receive mental health support, given the heavy mental health burden in Malaysia. The stressors of life during the pandemic can lead to and even exacerbate underlying mental health conditions. We are happy to partner BookDoc to ensure these crucial services are more widely available and accessible to serve the needs of Malaysians,” said Ms. Luksanawan Thangpaibool, Country Manager, Pfizer Malaysia & Brunei.

“MMHA is seeing a drastic increase in enquiries for psychological services, and many were in distressed due to the financial uncertainties posed by the pandemic. However, the current situation makes it a challenge for Malaysians to focus on their mental health, look for resources or continue treatment. Convenient access to mental health digital tools and resources allow more Malaysians to prioritize their emotional wellbeing and reduce the barriers in seeking help,” said Deputy President of the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA), Associate Professor Dr Ng Chong Guan.

According to National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 from National Institute of Health, almost half a million Malaysians experience symptoms of depression.  Mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic have increased as fear and anxiety could potentially be overwhelming and heighten mental stress. This is compounded by social distancing, which is important to decelerate the spread of COVID-19 yet disrupts social rhythm and deprives people of their regular coping mechanisms.  Statistics from the Ministry of Health revealed that 89.4% of some 120,000 calls made between January to June, to helplines managed by government organizations, were related to mental health issues that required emotional and psychological support. ³

“We are very glad to collaborate with Pfizer in combating public stigma associated with mental illness. By launching this campaign, we wish to address the mental health needs amid the coronavirus pandemic. This campaign serves as an effort in assisting people to recognize their mental health issues earlier so as to prevent them from getting worse,” said BookDoc’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dato’ Chevy Beh.

The campaign will see resources on mental health conditions and management tips provided on BookDoc’s digital platform www.bookdoc.com/health-info/expert-column to promote health mental health literacy. A self-assessment quiz is also available in the BookDoc app which provides a quick snapshot of a person’s mental health and lead them to seek treatment if they are experiencing mental health symptoms.

People who are encouraged to seek professional help can then leverage BookDoc’s functionality such as tele-consult to reach out to mental health specialists via live chat, or can even receive mental health support from trained volunteers, anonymously. Those who wish to book an in-person consultation with a healthcare professional located near them may do so seamlessly on BookDoc’s platform. Separate to this campaign, the MMHA provides financial subsidy for people accessing its psychological support services through the generosity of various funders and sponsors.

BookDoc, with a presence in 5 countries and 20 cities (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Thailand), is an online platform that operates across the healthcare continuum connecting patients to healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, while incentivising people to stay active. BookDoc has established an integrated online ecosystem which comprises seven (7) comprehensive platforms, i.e. Search & Book, Activ, Tele-Consult, Marketplace, Events & News, Health Coaching and COVID-19 Feature (Link to our 7 features: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aItH4kcLPdI). BookDoc is a multi-award winning company that has won awards from CNBC as one of the World's Top 100 Startup Companies; ASEAN Summit (Business Awards 2019 and 2020) as the most innovative startup in the region and also by Frost & Sullivan (2015-2020) as one of the most innovative healthcare technology startups in the region.BookDoc is available online at www.bookdoc.com, via the App Store, Google Play Store and Huawei App Gallery.

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at  www.pfizer.com. To learn more, please follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.