Malaysia can be leader in specialist training, says ex-health DG

Malaysia can be leader in specialist training, says ex-health DG

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah commends health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad for political will to see through amendments to the Medical Act.

Kuala Lumpur:  The amendments to the Medical Act 1971 could position Malaysia as a regional leader offering specialist training, says a former health director-general.

Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the amendments will enhance specialist training development for both masters programmes and parallel pathway programmes.

This marks the beginning of a new era with significant potential to further leverage our healthcare system,

 Noor Hisham said in a statement today.

Yesterday, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Medical Act 1971 Amendment Bill 2024 after it was tabled for its second and third readings.

The amendments follow the controversy over the Malaysian Medical Council’s refusal to recognise certain parallel pathway programmes, such as the cardiothoracic surgery qualification from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS Ed CTS), despite a shortage of such specialists in government hospitals.

The bill is expected to affect the outcomes of suits filed by parallel pathway graduates against the Malaysian Medical Council.

The Fourth Schedule of the bill includes the FRCS Ed CTS qualification, which is central to a lawsuit by four graduates against the MMC for rejecting their applications to be included in the National Specialist Register.

Noor Hisham also commended health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad for his political will to address the issues faced within six months of his tenure.

(Dzulkefly’s) efforts have garnered strong support from major professional bodies and associations, indicating thorough engagement and understanding of the technical aspects involved,

 he said.

He praised Dzulkefly’s decision to consult the Attorney-General’s Chambers on the recognition of international specialist qualifications in parallel pathway training as prudent and commendable.

Noor Hisham also expressed support for the Fourth Schedule for creating a more organised and accurate listing of registrable qualifications.

He said that decoupling the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act from the Medical Act 1971 allows the MMC to independently recognise qualifications and training programmes.

This aligns with the provisions of the MQA Act, which permits professional bodies to conduct their own recognition processes, similar to practices in other professions like engineering and accounting,

 he said.