MAY-JUNE , 2022 | THE HEALTH

DATUK HARJEET SINGH was appointed the new Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health ( MoH ) effective Apr 11 , 2022 .

Prior to his appointment , Harjeet , 59 , was the Ministry ’ s Deputy Secretary- General ( Management ).

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said in a statement Harjeet has vast experience in planning , human resource management and policy and had previously served as the Director-General of the Public Complaints Bureau .

“ I believe that with his experience , knowledge and credibility , Harjeet Singh can lead the MoH to provide services with integrity , efficiency and speed in line with the ministry ’ s slogan ‘ Kami Sedia Membantu ’ ( We Are Ready to Help ),” said Mohd Zuki .

Harjeet Singh has worked in the civil service for 33 years and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio University in Columbus , Ohio . On Aug 1 , 1989 , he joined the service as an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer .

DR MURUGA Raj Rajathurai , a Malaysian doctor , was in Warsaw , Poland , when he volunteered to work as a medical volunteer at a shelter for Ukrainian refugees .

He had spent 11 days volunteering at Warsaw Central Station , providing medical care to thousands of Ukrainians who had crossed into Poland to flee the Russian bombardment in their homeland .

Following the escalating Russia- Ukraine conflict , Dr Muruga said he was concerned for the safety of his three children and his brother ’ s two children , all of whom are students at the Medical University of Warsaw , so he decided to travel to Poland on March 3 to be with them .

“ After making sure my children were safe , my son informed me that there were many Ukrainian refugees who were starting to come to the Warsaw Central Station to seek shelter .

“ At that instant , I decided I could render my services ; and served as a medical volunteer there from March 8 to 19 ,” the 55-year-old general practitioner at a polyclinic in Johor told Bernama .

Dr Muruga , the presidentelect of the Malaysian Medical Association ( MMA ), said it was heartbreaking to see how refugees , particularly children , were separated from their families to cross into Poland with only a few belongings .

“ Many of them left Ukraine and crossed the border to seek refuge in Poland , leaving their fathers , sons , brothers , and husbands back home . There is no communication between them ,” he said , adding that many had fled without any personal documents or medications that they depended on .

At the centre , at least 1,000 refugees received medical care daily . As a result , he said volunteers at the centre , including himself and his medical team , had done their best to provide as much care and round-the-clock medical attention to those in need as possible .

Dr Muruga said he was also humbled by Polish citizens ’ humanitarian efforts and compassion in assisting Ukrainian refugees in their country .

He said his children are also doing their part in helping to raise money for the refugees .

RECOGNISED for their exemplary academic achievements , medical physicist Prof Dr Ng Kwan Hoong , has been awarded the prestigious Emeritus Professor title by Universiti Malaya ( UM ), along with Prof Dr Liam Choon Kin and Prof Dr Azirah Hashim .

Currently an Honorary Professor at the varsity ’ s Department of Biomedical Imaging , Prof Ng is highly regarded for his contribution in breast imaging , radiological protection , radiation dosimetry , and risk communication . He continues to make discoveries in breast density , image processing and radiation dosimetry with other research collaborators .

Prof Ng is an interdisciplinary expert who has served as a consultant for the International Energy Agency since 1993 and has established a global mentoring programme for physicists to help them develop leadership skills and grow into passionate scientists with integrity and empathy .

“ UM has the vision to be a global university that brings impact to the world . This can be done through interdisciplinary collaborations with other countries ,” he said after being conferred the award on March 5 .

Prof Ng was named a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences ( TWAS ) on Jan 1 , an academy based in Italy dedicated to advancing science in developing countries . He was awarded the Merdeka Award in 2020 for his contributions to a more sustainable Malaysia .

Meanwhile , Prof Dr Liam Choon Kin ’ s research focuses on respiratory diseases , specifically epidemiology , molecularly targeted therapies , and lung cancer immunotherapy . He has authored or co-authored 299 papers that have been presented at national , regional , and international scientific meetings and has published 182 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals .

Since 1985 , he has worked at the

From Left- Prof Ng , Prof Liam and Prof Azira .

UM Medicine Faculty Department of Medicine , rising to become the deputy dean for postgraduate programmes from 2003 to 2005 .

Prof Liam , who is also interested in genetic polymorphisms in bronchial asthma , has stated that he will continue to supervise postgraduate students pursuing Masters in Internal Medicine and teach undergraduate medical students despite his retirement .

“ I am working on a few papers ( in respiratory medicine ), and I hope they will be published this year ,” he said .

Prof Dr Azirah Hashim said she is committed to sharing her knowledge and expertise in applied linguistics , studies of language relations in Southeast Asia , Asean higher education , and legal discourse at both the national and international levels .

Her involvement in several international organisations , including the Asia Pacific Languages for Specific Purposes and the Professional Communication Association , will allow her postdoctoral students to collaborate with researchers in other countries ’ centres of excellence .

From 2003 to 2009 , she served as dean of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics . She was chosen to lead the Cluster of Humanities and Ethics at UM from 2010 to 2015 because of her expertise and experience .

She was appointed the first Asian president of the International Association of Applied Linguistics last year and will serve in that position until 2024 .

She has demonstrated outstanding academic leadership through research , publication , and consulting as an educator and research-focused visionary .

She has over 130 publications , including 17 books , articles in international journals , and book chapters with global publishers . — The Health