KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — Boehringer Ingelheim, in collaboration with the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia (PAM) and Oxwhite, an exclusive lifestyle brand specialising in premium affordable essential wear, has unveiled The Healing Kit, a care package whose contents have been especially selected to bring comfort to patients experiencing Generalised Pustular Psoriasis (GPP) flares.
GPP is a rare and potentially life-threatening neutrophilic skin disease, which is distinct from plaque psoriasis.
It is characterised, by recurrent, sudden flares of widespread, painful, red and inflamed skin with numerous pustules.
These pustules may coalesce to form ‘lakes’ of pus and may subside, leaving behind peeling or scaling skin.
In Malaysia, the prevalence of GPP is 198 per million population, affecting more women than men (267 vs 127 per million population).
It has a particularly high prevalence among the Chinese population, affecting 271 per million population, compared to Malay and Indian ethnicities at 186 per million population and 179 per million population respectively.
Agonising Hospital Stays
When their skin comes into contact with conventional hospital gowns and towels, patients with GPP flares can experience immense discomfort, and their symptoms can be aggravated, which can severely reduce their quality of life.
“The challenges experienced by patients with GPP go beyond the skin’s surface. During acute flares, patients endure extreme pain due to the inflammation and fluid-filled pustules covering their body.
“Basic movements such as walking or turning in bed can be excruciating, as their skin is inflamed and feels raw, and as a result, they are unable to perform even simple daily tasks.
“Many GPP patients also experience social stigma as well as emotional and psychological distress, which severely reduce their quality of life,” shared Dr Azura Mohd Affandi, Head of Dermatology Subspecialty in the Ministry of Health, and Head of Department and consultant dermatologist at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Kristina Siranjivi, a 31-year-old GPP patient who has been battling the disease since 2019 shares, “During a flare, I am usually in immense pain as my skin feels so raw. I have pustules all over my body and the pus often oozes out and sticks to clothing and bedsheets.
“As such, wearing any type of clothing or hospital gowns causes me tremendous pain and discomfort, and can worsen my flares.”
“Our conversations with people who experience GPP flares gave us a deeper understanding on the day-to-day challenges that they endure.
We worked closely with patients and dermatologists during the development of The Healing Kit, to ensure it truly meets their needs.
“Our hope is that The Healing Kit can offer comfort, beyond medication, to the patients,” shared Dr Mohd Azhar Ahmad, Head of Medicine, Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
A Thoughtful Collaboration
The Healing Kit contains two sets of hospital gowns made of soft, breathable fabric — one in green and another in bright orange and blue — and a set of good quality soft bamboo-cotton towels that are skin friendly and absorbent.
It also contains a patient journal, an educational book that is especially helpful for newly-diagnosed GPP patients to navigate their journey and obtain critical and reliable information about their condition.
All items are placed inside a sturdy army-green tote bag that will be provided to the patients upon registration with PAM.
PAM contributed critical input to the development of The Healing Kit. Sofia Lovi Ramasamy, PAM interim president who suffers from plaque psoriasis, shares, “Chronic diseases such as psoriasis and GPP which have no cure and require long-term management, can be very debilitating for those living with it.
“It is not just a physical disease but one that affects patients’ mental and emotional states. The Healing Kit is a thoughtful initiative and the comfort it offers helps patients to focus more on our recovery and be less consumed by the discomfort and pain that are typical of hospital stays.”
C.K. Chang, founder of Oxwhite, remarks, “Everyone deserves to feel confident inside and out, and one way to achieve this is through what we wear.
“What I learned about GPP was eye-opening for me; the severity of pain that patients have to endure, even in hospital, moved us to collaborate on this project with Boehringer Ingelheim.
“We wanted to create a gown that not only looked contemporary but also provided comfort for GPP patients, whether they wear it in hospital or at home.”
“As a patient, The Healing Kit is very meaningful to me as each item has been really well thought out and helpful for people like me to manage our symptoms more comfortably. Efforts like these make me feel seen and not forgotten,” said Kristina.
The Healing Kit is currently available to patients living with GPP by registering with PAM. Click here for more information.
