Downtime is costly in the medical sector, so minimising the time resources sit idle was a hot topic at Texas’ Healthcare Facilities Symposium.

Malaysia could capture an additional 10% of the US medical glove market after Washington imposed an extra 10% tariff on all imported Chinese goods from 4 February 2025, according to analysts. China-made medical gloves already face high US tariffs, with the Biden administration raising the levy to 50% in 2025 and 100% in 2026. With the latest tariff increase under the Trump administration Chinese gloves will be hit with a tariff of 60% in 2025 and 110% in 2026, making them less competitive. The tariffs could prompt US distributors to shift from Chinese glove manufacturers to Malaysian producers.

New technology can help the US medical sector deal with soaring demand for enhanced elderly care amid continuing staff shortages.

The National Development and Reform Commission and other government agencies released a raft of measures on 28 February to promote the high-quality development of inclusive senior care services. Steps will be taken to expand the content and scope of such services and to provide more sustainable and more inclusive services through government support, profit-sharing with enterprises, family contributions and social participation.

According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, a global standard for senior care robots was released recently by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

As developed nations grapple with the problem of ageing populations, Hong Kong-headquartered Motive Force offers a masterclass in merging eldercare with cutting-edge technology in the Canadian market. Leveraging the innovation and technological infrastructure of the GBA, Motive Force is now eying Australia as the next market for its immersive technology and tele-practice solutions.

The Civil Affairs Department and Finance Department of Guangxi unveiled measures for the management of elderly care service subsidies on 16 January. The beneficiaries of the subsidies included in the measures, which took immediate effect, are elderly residential care institutions set up with non-governmental funding which have 10 or more beds, and individuals engaged in elderly care but not employed public institutions. The government will grant subsidies and allowances for the construction and operation of privately-run elderly care institutions and their employees. Privately-run elderly care institutions will receive a subsidy of up to RMB5,000 for any additional bed. Operational subsidies ranging from RMB60 and RMB190 per person per month will be granted for various categories of disabled elderly people using a method that combines the grading of institutions and the abilities of the elderly persons. Employees of eligible elderly care institutions will receive a job allowance of between RMB50 and RMB400 per person per month.

Born out of a PolyU doctoral thesis, the Mobilexo Arm helps elderly patients recover at home, while medics monitor their progress remotely.

The Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission released an action plan in February to attract and stabilise foreign investment in 2025.

Lack of familiarity, a reluctance to experiment and widespread mistrust are hindering the take-up of AI-enabled tech among more elderly users.