Why telemedicine is the future of healthcare in Asia Pacific

By 2025, close to half a billion people across Asia Pacific will be aged 65 or older. Not only is the region’s population aging, it’s also getting sicker. An estimated 265 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes, and more than 250 million people over the age of 18 are predicted to be obese.

The healthcare sector in Asia Pacific is also challenged by a scarcity of physicians, increasing costs, heavy traffic, lack of access to hospital facilities in remote areas, and long waiting times for doctors’ appointments. Telehealth could help alleviate these problems.

Read: Telehealth startup Doctor Anywhere’s surprise move

According to Market Data Forecast, the region’s telemedicine market is expected to skyrocket from US$8.5 billion this year to US$22.5 billion by 2025. Due to Covid-19, the daily use of telehealth platforms showed year-on-year growth and predicted to continue post-pandemic.

SOURCES

Data: Tech in Asia
Infographics: Susi Susanti
Analysis: Susi Susanti
Editing: Terence Lee and Eileen C. Ang