Tuesday 29 October 2013

9th WIEF - iGene® to launch Digital Autopsy Facility (DAF) in the United Kingdom



9th World Islamic Economic Forum 2013.
Changing World, New Relationships

iGene® to launch Digital Autopsy Facility (DAF) in the United Kingdom

LONDON, United Kingdom (Tue Oct 29, 2013) - The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) is now back. After the successful story in Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kuwait and Pakistan this international event will now be held in London; for the first time this event will be held outside of a Muslim country. The forthcoming 9th WIEF, an annual event, with its theme “Changing World, New Relationships" encapsulates the emergence of diversified new economic linkages between nations across borders, religions and cultures in a fast growing economic world.
The WIEF is organized by the World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation, a Kuala Lumpur based, non-for-profit organization under the Malaysian government. Key areas of focus for the upcoming forum in London include Islamic banking and finance, technology, infrastructure development, health, exports, education and youth. The Forum aims to deliver tangible investment. During last year’s 8th WIEF, deals worth an estimated RM28 billion equivalent to £5.8billion, were struck (London and Partners, 03 July 2013).
The WIEF is the connecting bridge for business networking between transnational companies and organization around the globe generally and between the Muslim and non-Muslim world specifically. This event will open gigantic opportunities for exploring businesses and investments, and harmonizing global opportunities among more than 1,500 delegates from 85 countries. 
                Technology, being one of the main key areas of WIEF, will get its limelight with the launch of an eye opening and innovative technology developed by a Malaysian company. With financial backing from Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), a driving force for the Malaysian government towards establishing ‘innovation economy’, iGene® Sdn. Bhd. (an INFOVALLEY®  Group of Company) will launch its Digital Autopsy Technology on the first day of the event under its subsidiary iGene® London Limited. It is with great hope that the innovative approach of iGene® will jostle up other potential Malaysian company to join the bandwagon towards opening new gateway for international benchmarking.
                Digital Autopsy a term coined by INFOVALLEY®, relates to conducting post-mortems digitally without mutilating the deceased. The innovative approach of this company provides complete forensic medicine and forensic science solution from the scene of crime till the production of a digitized multimedia post-mortem report which can be used in the court of law. The in-house developed innovative technology applies specific algorithms for 3D rendering to visualize the deceased in establishing the cause and manner of death. The technology is not just Diagnostic Imaging but is a complete comprehensive solution in forensic investigation. 
In the company’s interest to honour the dead; this technology will be pushed as the primary manner to establish cause of death. With no or minimum invasion, this solution has led much interest of the religious bodies. The Fatwa Committee National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia has recognized Digital Autopsy System as a good way to handle a dead body for autopsy and forensic investigation purposes. Similar response has also been received from religious bodies from other countries. Involvement of iGene® with its impactful technology in this event will leave a good impression to the investors about Malaysian’s companies while creating a new breakthrough for Muslim world on digital autopsy. 
United Kingdom (UK) was chosen because of its acceptance of this frontier technology as well as its existing advanced medical arena. UK is an attractive springboard for companies who want to grow their global business. It provides a unique gateway of international connections, and is a recognized leader in the fields of creativity and innovation and is the sixth largest economy in the world. Supported by the Ministry of Justice, new guidelines have been introduced to embrace digital autopsies. iGene® has also been fortunate enough to get the backing of  Chief Coroner’s Office under the Home Ministry of United Kingdom, Royal College of Radiologists and Royal College Pathologists. iGene Sdn. Bhd. under its subsidiary, iGene® London Limited is currently building Digital Autopsy Facilities (DAFs) in the UK in stages, which will consisting of four full scaled Digital Autopsy Facilities (DAFs) and 14 Digital Autopsy Scanning Centers (DAsc). These four DAFs will be connected to a centralized data centre which will function as the digital repository for archiving. The first unit at Sheffield Medico-Legal is anticipated to be ready in time for the launch during this 9th WIEF. iGene®’s  investment is estimated to be up to £10 million which will also create around 60 jobs in the first three years.
iGene® subsequently plans to penetrate into the United State and the Middle East markets. Parallel with the forum’s theme, to change the world by opening and grasping new relationship with all the industry players regardless of their geographical borders, religions and cultures.  iGene® as well as others industry players are anticipated to makes the 9th WIEF as a stepping stone to navigate and pervade into wider business opportunities. 

By Ahmad Fakri Hilmi, iGene Sdn. Bhd., KL