LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH , MINISTRY OF HEALTH , MALAYSIA

Tan Sri Dato ’ Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is a senior consultant surgeon in breast and endocrine surgery at Putrajaya Hospital and the current Director-General of Health Malaysia since March 2013 . Prior to the Director- General of Health ’ s appointment , he was the Deputy Director-General of Health ( Medical ) between January 2008 and February 2013 .

His expertise lies in breast and endocrine cancers , with numerous published papers and textbook chapters in endocrine surgery . He is famously known in the international surgical community for his ground-breaking technique in performing thyroidectomy under local anaesthesia , which has helped patients worldwide who cannot tolerate general anaesthesia or has limited access to it .

Despite being an accomplished surgeon , his particular interest lies in enhancing universal healthcare coverage to marginalised communities and bringing personalised healthcare to the community through digital technology and creative innovation . One of his notable achievements is improving marginalised communities ’ access to Hepatitis C screening and treatment through partnerships with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative ( DNDi ), thus paving the nation ’ s way to achieve elimination of the disease by 2030 .

Awarded as the ‘ Most Notable National University of Malaysia ( UKM ) Alumni ’ in 2019 , Dr Noor Hisham started his medical career as a houseman at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital in 1988 .

Acceptance speech

He obtained his Master of Surgery and primary medical degree from UKM and was appointed as a general surgeon in Hospital Terengganu in 1994 . He then completed an endocrinology and breast surgery fellowship training at various institutes in Australia and was appointed as the Head of the Breast and Endocrine Surgery Unit at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital in 1999 .

In 2002 , he took on the role of the Head and Senior Consultant of Breast and Endocrine Surgery at Putrajaya Hospital . He chairs multiple medical professional councils and nationallevel technical committees , and he ’ s actively involved as a policymaker in global organisations such as the World Health Organization ( WHO ) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative ( DNDi ). He is also a Councillor-at-Large ( 2017-2021 ) in the Executive Board of the International Society of Surgery ( ISS ) and chairs the Global Surgery Committee of ISS . In March 2020 , he was elected as the Asian Association of Endocrine Surgeons ( ASES ) chairman .

Dr Noor Hisham has been conferred numerous local and international awards , including the prestigious Fellowship Ad Hominem of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2018 for his contributions toward healthcare . In 2019 , he was honoured to deliver the distinguished Martin Allgöwer Lecture at the 48th World Congress of Surgery in Krakow , Poland . Recently , the International Society of Surgery has awarded him the International Surgical Fellowship to recognise his devotion to practice excellence in the field of surgery .

For his exemplary leadership in managing the healthcare sector response in the COVID-19 pandemic , he was awarded the 2020 / 1442H Maal Hijrah National Icon Award . This award is presented yearly to individuals who exemplify noble acts and Islamic stewardship , as well as a recognition by the Malaysian government for their individual and significant contributions in uplifting Islamic values and principles , both nationally and globally . In March 2021 , Dr Noor Hisham also accepted on behalf of frontliners , The International Islamic University Malaysia ( IIUM ) Ibn Khaldun Merit Award , presented by Her Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda , The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah , which reflects the dedication , commitment , sacrifice and resilience of every individual in the Ministry of Health and various health and security agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic .

12 DECEMBER 2021 - JANUARY 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com