By Dr Evelyn Ho

Dorjsuren Bayarsaikhan, MPH, PhD

The 9th Ministry of Health-Academy of Medicine of Malaysia Scientific Meeting was held at the Medical Academies of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur from 22-23 September 2011. The theme was “Equity in Healthcare Unites the Nation”. The topics covered current health issues of national interest and included the concept and updates of 1Care, equity in healthcare, expanding universal coverage with health sector transformation, sustainable healthcare financing structures as well as clinical research which has been identified as an entry point project of the National Key Economic Areas.

The meeting provided updates and information for the delegates on the key aspects of equity in healthcare, what has been achieved to date and what lies ahead. Dorjsuren Bayarsaikhan (MPH, PhD) from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the team leader of Health Care Financing in WHO spoke on expanding universal coverage with health sector transformation and financial risk protection.

Tan Sri Datuk Abu Bakar Suleiman challenged the delegates to make transformational changes to the healthcare system that would benefit future generations and that was patient-centred. He felt that the current healthcare system was ineffective, inefficient, unsafe, not affordable, not sustainable and not patient-centred. In fact it is a world-wide problem, and Malaysia should learn from other countries’ attempts at health reform.

Other speakers were Dr Ng Char Hong, Dr Sheamini Sivasampu, Dr Kamaliah Mohd Nor (Equity in Healthcare symposium); Prof Osman Ali on Chronic Diseases; Dato’ Dr Maimunah A. Hamid (1Care for 1Malaysia); Dato’ Dr Megat Burhainuddin Megat Abdul Rahman (Assessing the Future Needs of Human Resource to Address Equity in Healthcare) and Dato’ Dr Teoh Siang Chin, Dr Ong Loke Meng and Dr Goh Pik Pin (Clinical Research Symposium).

The opening ceremony was also the conferment and induction of new Fellows and Members of the Academy of Medicine. The Deputy Director General of Health delivered the Keynote Address on behalf of Dato’ Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman, the Director General of Health who was unable to grace the occasion.