Noor Hisham Abdullah

Noor Hisham bin Abdullah (born Yew Ming Seong; 21 April 1963) is a Malaysian civil servant and endocrine surgeon who has served as the Director-General of Health since March 2013. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Deputy Director General of Health (Medical) from February 2008 to March 2013.

Noor Hisham is also the current Chairman of the World Health Organization (WHO) Standing Committee on Health Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (SCHEPPR), President of Malaysia Medical Council (MMC), as well as member of the Board of Directors of the Drug for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi). In his role, he has been prominent in leading Malaysia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early life and education

Born as Yew Ming Seong on 21 April 1963 in Sepang, Selangor to a poor Chinese family of Fuzhou people descent, he spent his childhood in a ''kampung'' at Sungai Pelek. He was raised by his single mother after his parents separated since birth and had lived in the off Jalan Loke Yew's San Peng Flats, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. As a young school boy, he would walk with his younger sibling to the Methodist Boys' School (MBS) in Jalan Davidson where he acquired his early education.

Forced by his family's poor condition, Yew was then adopted by an ''Ustaz'' who was the principal of the Kolej Islam Klang (KIK) where he continued his upper secondary studies before continuing his pre-university education at Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah (SAS), Cheras. Later he married his adoptive father's biological daughter; at about that time, he changed his name to Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Yew also had obtained a medical doctorate degree in 1988 and a Master in Surgery in 1994, both from National University of Malaysia (UKM). He went on to specialise in endocrine surgery and did his training in various universities in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia.

Medical career

Medical practice (since 1988)

Dr. Noor Hisham started his medical career as a houseman at the Kuala Lumpur University Hospital in 1988, and later specialising in the Accident and Emergency Department in 1989.

After he received his Master of Surgery, he became a general surgeon in Hospital Terengganu in 1994. After 3 years as a general surgeon, Dr Noor Hisham received an endocrinology fellowship training at various institutes in Australia.

After completing his fellowship training, Dr. Noor Hisham was appointed as the Head of the Breast and Endocrine Surgery Unit at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital in 1999. Three years later, in 2002, he took on the role of Head and Senior Consultant of Breast and Endocrine Surgery at Putrajaya Hospital, a position that he currently holds.

Noor Hisham has received the Excellent Service Award (2000), Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and Excellent Service Award (2004), Federal Territories Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Health Department (JKWPKL) for the recognition of his service in a medical career.

Director-General of Health (since 2013)

Noor Hisham served as the Deputy Director-General of Health (Medical) for 5 years from February 2008 before being promoted and prior to serving as the Director-General of Health in March 2013.

Role during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

Dr. Noor Hisham is the director-general in charge during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Following the 2020 Malaysian political crisis, Noor Hisham took over from press briefings after new Health Minister Adham Baba gave a widely criticized first briefing where he falsely claimed that warm water can protect from COVID-19. Noor Hisham's briefings were praised for their calm and clarity during the crisis.

In April 2020, he was picked to join an international coalition dedicated to clinical research involving COVID-19. The China Global TV Network (CGTN), had recognised Dr Noor Hisham as among the “top doctors” of the world alongside America's Dr Anthony Fauci and New Zealand's Dr Ashley Bloomfield for the handling of COVID-19 pandemic approach. He also was named again among the COVID-19 heroic trio by Singaporean news outlet, ''The Independent''.

Recognition and accolades

On 4 July 2020, Noor Hisham was awarded the '2019 Most Notable Alumni' by his alma mater UKM's Medical Faculty. On 17 July, he received the BrandLaureate Award 2020 for Outstanding Brand Leadership along with the 'Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation' for Ministry of Health by the World Brand Foundation. On 19 August, he was named as the recipient of the national level Maal Hijrah Figure Award 2020 AD/1442 AH. Noor Hisham received the Rotary Club's Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest honour given by them to individuals who have contributed to good causes, from the club Kuala Lumpur chapter on 13 September.
On 18 December, women's magazine Nona honoured him with a special Nona Frontliner Award during the Nona Superwoman Award 2020 presentation. On 20 December, he was presented a special award during the '' Anugerah MeleTOP Era 2020'' (AME 2020) jointly hosted by Astro's both MeleTOP television entertainment programme and ERA radio station.

On 18 March 2021, a year since the first COVID-19 pandemic Movement Control Order (MCO) imposed, in which he spearheaded the fight against, Noor Hisham received the Ibn Khaldun Merit Award by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) from its chancellor Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. Noor Hisham received the International Surgical Fellowship Award from the International Society of Surgery

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