SINGAPORE:It was in mid-April this year that Malaysia’s director-general of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was ranked among "the world’s top doctors” by a Chinese TV station for his strategies in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

After six months and while Malaysia is now facing the third wave of the outbreak, it seems his reputation remains intact.

This time, his name was mentioned in a headline of The Independent, Singapore, that reads: “Drs Noor Hisham, Bloomfield and Fauci – Covid’s heroic trio”.

The article was written by Tan Bah Bah, consulting editor of the news website and who is also a former senior leader writer with The Straits Times.

In his column ‘Sense And Nonsense’, Tan started with: “Undoubtedly, the original hero of the COVID-19 pandemic was Dr Li Wenliang, the late whistleblower ophthalmologist who first warned health authorities in Wuhan of the virus last December.

“While Beijing has got the situation in Hubei province and other parts of China under control since then, other countries grappling with the virus have produced their own heroes.

“One in particular is playing a pivotal role in a country facing an election on Nov 3, the results of which will have repercussions around the world,” wrote Tan, referring to Dr Anthony Stephen Fauci, director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The other of the heroic trio is New Zealand’s director-general of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Tan stated further that three country public health experts were now in the international limelight, besides the World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

On Malaysia’s director-general of Health, Tan wrote: “For most evenings the past few months, anxious Malaysians have been tuning in from all over the nation to watch the live telecast of the COVID-19 briefing, delivered by Dr Noor Hisham.

“He would calmly detail the latest developments, switching effortlessly between English and Bahasa. He is the country’s public face in Malaysia’s fight to contain the virus.”

Tan observed further that Dr Noor Hisham “does not stop there. He tweets earnestly”.

“We need unity to fight this and not against each other. Our frontliners have been enduring the ground for the past 10 months 24/7. Mental and physical fatigue is setting in. Some are prepared to throw in the towel. Please learn from Sabah,” Dr Noor had tweeted as mentioned by Tan.

“Malaysia is experiencing a spike now because of, among other things, the Sabah state election,” Tan said in his article.

Tan noted that Dr Noor Hisham’s equivalent in New Zealand would be Dr Bloomfield who won the hearts and minds of Kiwis for his cool, calm leadership during the lockdown.

The consulting editor then described Dr Anthony Fauci as “unflappable”.

The full article can be accessed at https://theindependent.sg/drs-noor-hisham-bloomfield-and-fauci-covids-heroic-trio/.

A check at "About us", The Independent states that it brings independent perspective on news and current affairs in Singapore and is a platform owned and operated by journalists.

Started on Aug 9, 2013, its news website brings in-depth perspective and analysis on current affairs, economics and politics in Singapore.

-- BERNAMA