KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — Malaysia must intensify efforts to advocate for child rights, health, and welfare amid political differences, said Nurul Izzah Anwar, chairperson of the Social and Economic Research Initiative (SERI).
“A lot more work needs to be done in advocating for child rights, health, welfare, wellbeing, and further enhancing paediatric medical and surgical services.
“Despite the diverse and oftentimes polarised political viewpoints, we all agree that the welfare and wellbeing of our children must be protected, supported and promoted,” said Nurul Izzah, who is also patron of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA), at a joint meeting between three leading organisations in paediatric sciences.
The event, which was held alongside the 16th Congress of the Asean Society of Paediatric Surgery, the 3rd Congress of the Malaysian Association of Paediatric Surgery (MAPS) and the 45th Annual Congress of the MPA, saw the participation of over 700 delegates and speakers from across the globe.
MPA president Dr Mohamad Ikram Ilias highlighted the need for closer collaboration between paediatricians and surgeons, adding that the partnership is essential for providing holistic care to young patients.
“By working together, we can address complex medical issues more effectively and innovate solutions that improve outcomes for children across the region,” Dr Mohamad Ikram said.
“It highlights the profound truth that while we come from diverse backgrounds and specialties, our goal remains unified: to enhance the health and wellbeing of our children.”
MAPS president Dr Mohd Yusof Abdullah echoed the sentiment, stating that the joint effort symbolises the strength of a shared mission to advance paediatric care in Malaysia and the Asean region.
During the congress, the MPA presented its 2024 Outstanding Child and Adolescent Advocacy Award to Prof Dr Mohamad Haniki Nik Mohamed from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) for his work in combating smoking and vaping among adolescents.
The MPA Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 was awarded to Prof Dr Zulkifli Ismail for his advocacy in promoting paediatrics and child health locally and internationally.
Malaysia has seen significant progress in paediatric surgery over the past few decades, with 80 dedicated paediatric surgeons currently practising across the country, 52 of whom are based in Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals.
Each state now has teams of specialist paediatricians who offer outreach services to smaller district hospitals, a milestone achieved through collaboration between the MOH, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), private sector practitioners, and the College of Surgeons in the Academy of Medicine Malaysia.
Nurul Izzah lauded MPA and MAPS for creating a roadmap aimed at enhancing care in paediatric urology, surgical oncology, advanced minimally invasive surgery, and solid organ transplantation in children. “The commitment shown by Malaysia’s paediatric specialists underscores the importance of investing in the health and wellbeing of our children,” she said.
Despite ongoing challenges in managing specialist training and career pathways in other medical fields, Malaysia’s paediatric community has successfully implemented structured career tracks and job placements across public and private facilities nationwide.
The congress also featured capability-building initiatives, including a neonatal surgical skills workshop and a train-the-trainers session for paediatric surgeons.
Over half of the paediatric surgeons in public practice completed an intensive surgical training programme by the end of the three-day event.
