Latest news with #cardiothoracic
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Advancing cardiothoracic surgery in the Asean region
Teams from IJN and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery alongside workshop participants, comprising cardiothoracic doctors from all over the world, on May 12. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) KUALA LUMPUR : Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) recently partnered with the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) and the Malaysian Association for Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery to organise the AATS Foundation Cardiothoracic Workshop. Held on May 11-13, the event was aimed at facilitating cross-border knowledge exchange in cardiothoracic surgery – a field of medicine focusing on procedures involving the thorax or chest, especially the heart, lung and oesophagus. It also provided valuable networking opportunities, with participants spending the first two days at IJN and the final day at Serdang Hospital. 'As a healthcare provider, IJN is proud to host this event because it reflects our commitment towards the Asean chairmanship of the country,' IJN CEO Dr Ezani Taib said in his opening speech. Malaysia assumed the role of Asean chair on Jan 1, following an annual rotation system based on the alphabetical order of the English names of member states. A total of 52 cardiothoracic doctors participated in the workshop, representing several countries: Indonesia (9), Vietnam (4), Philippines (1), Thailand (3), Myanmar (3), Malaysia (30), Brunei (1) and Bangladesh (1). Four live surgeries – three adult and one paediatric – were performed at IJN during the workshop. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) During the session at IJN, four live surgeries were successfully performed – three adult cases and one paediatric. The procedures, carried out by surgeons from AATS and IJN, included mitral valve repair, coronary artery bypass graft, aortic valve replacement, and the Ross-Konno procedure – a surgical technique used to treat aortic valve disease, especially in children and young adults. The surgeries were broadcast live to the participants, allowing for real-time observation, interactive discussions, and in-depth knowledge sharing. Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Dr Nazeri Nordin, head of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery and senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at IJN, explained that the participants had received grants from the AATS Foundation to attend the workshop. Established in 1917, AATS and its philanthropic arm, the AATS Foundation, are dedicated to advancing the field of cardiothoracic surgery. 'At the AATS Foundation, we're very dedicated to global education and training. We strongly believe the obligation of those with knowledge is to teach others and, therefore, spread the knowledge for the benefit of patients all around the world,' Dr Joseph Woo, chair of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University, told FMT Lifestyle. Woo is also president-elect of AATS and secretary of the AATS Foundation. (From left) Dr Ezani Taib and Dr Nazeri Nordin from IJN, and Dr Joseph Woo, chair of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University. Explaining why IJN was selected, Woo said: 'IJN represents the gold standard of heart and thoracic care in Southeast Asia. The level of clinical expertise, institutional commitment to training, and strong leadership make it an ideal partner for this regional collaboration.' When he first visited IJN nearly 15 years ago, Woo recalled seeing technology that had not yet been adopted in the United States. 'So, this is a good example of us learning from each other and teaching each other – bi-directional learning throughout the world,' he said. IJN, the largest heart hospital in Malaysia, has internationally recognised clinical accreditation, comprehensive training programmes, and a long-standing commitment to innovation in cardiovascular care. In 2023, it was selected as one of the four finalists for the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital Programme. The initiative, slated to conclude this year, aims to raise Malaysia's global healthcare profile and elevate the country's private healthcare services. 'This event reflects our commitment towards that goal, by bringing international doctors – not just from the Asean region, but also from the US – to share their experiences. With that, we'll be able to deliver better patient care across the region,' Ezani shared. Live broadcasts of the surgeries enabled real-time observation, interactive discussions, and in-depth knowledge sharing. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) The collaboration, he added, is a testament to IJN's standing as a centre of excellence not only in Malaysia but throughout the region. 'As we continue our journey with AATS, we are proud to position IJN as a regional hub for cardiothoracic training and care for Asean. It reflects our role in shaping the future of heart surgery, not just for Malaysians but for the broader Southeast Asian community,' Ezani said.
Free Malaysia Today
11-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
July 28 decision on MMC's refusal to recognise surgeons as specialists
Four surgeons, Drs Nur Aziah Ismail, Syed Nasir Syed Hassan, Chong Kee Soon and Lok Yuh Ling, want the High Court to compel the Malaysian Medical Council to register them as specialist doctors. (Freepik pic) KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court here has set July 28 to rule on a judicial review application brought by four cardiothoracic surgeons with foreign qualifications in a bid to compel the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) to register them as specialists. At a hearing on Tuesday, lawyers for the applicants – Drs Nur Aziah Ismail, Syed Nasir Syed Hassan, Chong Kee Soon and Lok Yuh Ling – and the MCC, named as the respondent, tendered written submissions to set out the respective positions of the parties. In their submissions, the applicants rejected the MMC's contention that the proceedings had become academic. The MMC claims an amendment to the Medical Act 1971, which will recognise the applicants' qualifications, is already in place. However, the applicants contend that the amendment, which will recognise specialists with the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (FRCS Ed) qualification, will only come into force via a gazette notification by the health minister. 'It is critical to note that the Medical (Amendment) Act 2024 has not yet come into operation as such a notification has not been published in the gazette at the date of these submissions,' the filing, sighted by FMT, read. As a result, the applicants say the MMC's contention that the judicial review is moot cannot stand. 'Further, the respondent has neither revoked the impugned decision nor registered the applicants as cardiothoracic surgery specialists on the National Specialist Register (NSR),' the submissions added. The doctors argue that the case goes beyond regulatory interpretation, adding that it directly affects their livelihoods. They say there is an urgent need for clarity in specialist recognition, especially given the existing severe shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons. The MMC, in response, asserts that the amendments were specifically introduced by legislation to enable the registration of applicants and others with similar qualifications under Section 14B(1) or Section 14B(2) of the Medical Act 1971. It says that without the amendment coming into force, such registrations would be legally impossible. Once the revised provisions take effect, the applicants may apply for specialist registration under the new framework, resolving qualification concerns through legislative changes, the MMC added. 'The applicants' insistence that this court hear and determine the questions in these proceedings amounts to an abuse of the court's process, bearing in mind that there exists an avenue for the applicants to obtain specialist registration under the provisions of the amended Act,' the MMC said in its submissions. The applicants are challenging the MMC's refusal to enrol them on the NSR two years ago. They contend that the FRCS Ed qualification was listed on MMC's website when they signed up for the health ministry's parallel pathway programme, but was removed in 2022 without explanation. The MMC claims that the FRCS Ed qualification had been erroneously inserted on the NSR list which, at the time, was maintained by the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia. However, the doctors dispute this explanation, arguing that since the MMC bore sole legal responsibility for specialist recognition and the list was published on its website, it should be held accountable for the information published. The plaintiffs were represented in court by Jeremiah Rais and Leah Samuel, while Jessica Binwani, Sarguna Kumari, Navina Ramani and Tashalini Kopal appeared for MMC.
