06
COVER STORY
The Health Xtra | MARCH-APRIL-MAY, 2020
A Man To Respect
Dr Noor Hisham takes point
position in the war against
Covid-19
By Camilia Rezali
This is not about
me. This is about
how we can fight
Covid-19 together.”
– Dr Noor Hisham
T
HE PERSON MOST featured in news broadcasts, his
name written in most newspaper headlines and being
conversed about among the Malaysian community.
Who is this man? He is neither a famous singer nor a
distinguished artiste.
He is Datuk Dr Noor
Hisham Abdullah, and
he is Malay-
sia’s Director-General
of Health, a post
he has held in
the Ministry of
Health since
March 1, 2013.
According to
a story in Sinar
Harian, Dr Noor Hisham is a well-
respected man today, leading the battle
against Covid-19 for our country. Countless
people wait for his appearance. In fact, his fol-
lowers on Facebook have trailed up to 443,186 and
a total of 238,700 on Twitter (as of April 16). However,
seeking popularity is not in his interest. He prefers to
deliver his duties with great determination. True enough,
dealing with a virus that has killed many people around the
world can be easier said than done. But the weight carried by
a country’s Director-General of Health is indescribable.
Dr Noor Hisham has his plate quite full. He leads the
frontliners comprising doctors, nurses and other healthcare
providers against the deadly pandemic. All this, while also caring
for existing patients with diff erent illnesses. His persistence and
energy have caught the eyes of many, and he has been receiving
adulations for his performance. He is working around the clock
together with the frontliners to achieve the best results. We
would think this man works day-in-day-out and has never failed