Global healthcare company Abbott hosted a public welfare event in Beijing on Friday, in a bid to encourage menopausal women in China to maintain physical and mental health.

During the event, it also launched a global initiative called "The Next Chapter", a collection of women's stories about menopause to raise awareness and empower more women to seek the support and care they may need.

Data from the Bureau of Statistics showed that China reported 256 million menopausal women at the end of 2021. According to the research from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the number could reach 280 million by 2030.

"Women going through menopause should, first and foremost, follow a healthy lifestyle. They should not hesitate to seek timely advice if they experience symptoms that disrupt their day-to-day life. Only with this active approach can they improve their health and life quality in the long term," said Yu Qi, director of the Center of Endocrine and Reproduction of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

"However, many menopausal women don't take their symptoms seriously and don't take actions to treat the symptoms. We are urging women to pay attention to their health during that time, as there's an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, or osteoporosis," said Chen Rong, deputy director of the Center of Endocrine and Reproduction of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Abbott provides quality and trusted solutions to support women's health throughout their entire life cycle. In 2017, the company set up the Tulip Academy, which is a program committed to providing menopause-related education and training for physicians.

"We believe women need all the support they can get. This is why, we support the establishment of independent menopause centers in China to empower women going through menopause and give them an opportunity to get comprehensive support, with physicians trained to understand the specific needs of women going through menopause," said Norman Tang, divisional vice-president and general manager of Established Pharmaceuticals at Abbott China.