Monash University Malaysia, IHH Healthcare Malaysia, and the Malaysian Medical Association sign an MoU
Standing from left to right: Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, Dr Kamal Amzan, YB Dato’ Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib, and Professor Stephen John Boyle. Sitting from left to right: Dr Vasu Pillai A/L Letchumanan, Thomass Raj A/L Selvaraja, and Brigadier General Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Arshil Moideen.
Monash University Malaysia joined IHH Healthcare Malaysia and the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) in signing a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen continuity of care between general practitioners (GPs) and specialists.
Under the MoU, the three organisations will develop structured learning pathways for GPs and healthcare professionals through micro-credentials, professional certificates, graduate certificates and postgraduate diploma programs. These will cover areas including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular health and emergency care, enabling doctors to manage increasingly complex conditions closer to their communities.
Dr Kamal Amzan, Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare Malaysia, delivered the first address. He spoke about the changing nature of patients’ healthcare journeys, which often extend across community clinics, specialist services, hospitals, diagnostic centres and follow-up care.
Dr Kamal Amzan speaking during his opening remarks.
He also highlighted the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the importance of early recognition and intervention. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023, 29.2 per cent of Malaysian adults live with hypertension, 15.6 per cent with diabetes, and 54.4 per cent are either overweight or obese.
“A referral is not simply an appointment with another doctor. It is an act of trust. When a GP refers a patient to a specialist, the patient must feel that their care is being carried forward, not restarted,” said Dr Kamal.
He added, “This partnership is important because primary care and specialist care cannot function as separate worlds. GPs need stronger links to specialist expertise, and specialists need to understand the patient’s journey before they arrive at the hospital. When that relationship works well, patients receive care that is more assured, more personal and more complete.”
Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo during the ceremony.
Datuk Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo, President of the Malaysian Medical Association, then addressed the ceremony from the perspectives of both the association and a practising GP. He outlined the broad range of conditions managed within community practice and emphasised the importance of accessible, competency-based professional development throughout a doctor’s career.
“Patients do not experience healthcare in silos – they experience a journey. This collaboration is about empowering and upskilling GPs, strengthening continuity of care and building a more connected healthcare ecosystem centred around the patient. By bringing together healthcare providers, academia and the medical profession, we can deliver better outcomes closer to the community.”
Brigadier General Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Arshil Moideen (Rtd), Head of School, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Monash University Malaysia, followed with an address on the role of public-private partnerships in strengthening Malaysia’s healthcare system.
Brigadier General Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Arshil Moideen provided his remarks during the ceremony.
He explained that Monash University Malaysia would work with IHH Healthcare Malaysia, MMA and private GPs to co-develop a practical academic module tailored to the Malaysian healthcare context. The module will focus on prevention, acute medical care and the management of communicable and non-communicable diseases. It will also prepare private GPs to support reliable step-up and step-down care between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare settings.
“Addressing acute medical care, effective preventive measures and high-quality clinical management of communicable and non-communicable diseases requires a robust primary care defence. Through this partnership, we are proud to deliver structured formal education, from microcredentials to graduate certificates and professional certificates. By uplifting the competency level of our frontline doctors, we can effectively decongest tertiary care, provide a reliable step-up and step-down care system, and pioneer community-driven research that transforms public health.”
In her keynote address, YB Dato Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib, the Deputy Minister of Health, emphasised that healthcare programs should be measured not only by technology, equipment or treatment outcomes, but also by how well patients understand their care and feel supported throughout their healthcare journey. She highlighted the importance of early intervention, regular follow-up and effective communication in managing non-communicable diseases.
YB Dato’ Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib provided her opening remarks.
The collaboration will support practical initiatives in referral pathways, chronic disease management, continuing professional development, research and digital health. By combining IHH Healthcare Malaysia’s hospital network and specialist expertise, MMA’s reach among medical practitioners and Monash University Malaysia’s academic capabilities, the partnership aims to create a stronger bridge between primary and specialist care.
The MoU marks the beginning of a shared effort to develop a more connected healthcare ecosystem in which patients receive timely, coordinated and compassionate care throughout every stage of their journey.
The MMA team posing for a group photo with the representatives from the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences team.