Tuanku Muhriz calls on gov'ts worldwide to strive towards achieving third goal of SDGs

SEREMBAN: The Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir has called on all governments worldwide and their healthcare services, including family doctors, to strive towards achieving the third goal of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Tuanku Muhriz is concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a negative impact on the achievement of the third goal of the SDGs, which is to 'ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages', based on the report of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

"Many healthcare services are stretched to their limits. Compounded by the severe shortage of healthcare workers, ongoing healthcare programmes such as maternal and childcare health services may be stalled, with reversal of outcomes and reduced life expectancy in the near future.

"In spite of these challenges, it is the moral duty of governments worldwide, and their healthcare services, including family doctors, to strive towards achieving that goal," he said in his speech when officiating the World Organisation of Family Doctors-Asia Pacific Regional Council (WONCA-APR) meeting held via Zoom today.

The WONCA-APR was hosted by the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia (AFPM) in conjunction with the 23rd WONCA World Conference from Nov 22-27, which is organised by the Emirates Family Medicine Society of Abu Dhabi and will be held virtually.

Tuanku Muhriz, who is also the Royal Patron of AFPM, however, said that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, international cooperation amongst family doctors within WONCA-APR and the global WONCA family had been very admirable and collegial.

This, he added, was followed by a great deal of commitment in sharing experiences and research projects and coming together to provide various solutions amongst member organisations.

Tuanku Muhriz also noted that the WONCA-APR's close relationship and participation in the annual sessions of the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO) reflected its commitment to ensuring the high-quality provision of primary care services in the region.

Meanwhile, Tuanku Muhriz said family doctors and allied colleagues in primary care played an extremely important role in the delivery of healthcare to their respective communities.

Elaborating, he said these roles had become more challenging since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In the midst of these crises, family doctors all over the world, including our own in Malaysia, have untiringly sacrificed their time and effort, and in many cases, their lives, in combating this disease," he said.

Meanwhile, Tuanku Muhriz said that the AFPM, which is one of the 18 founding member organisations, continued to be active in the council since the inception of WONCA in 1972.

"For this WONCA-APR Council for the 2021-2023 session, representatives from Malaysia will be led by past president of AFPM, Assoc Prof Dr Mohammad Husni Jamal, who will assume the presidency of the WONCA-APR Council, AFPM chairman Dr S. Kaviayarasan and AFPM secretary Dr Wong Ping Foo, who will sit in the executive committee as chair of the Rajakumar Movement," he said.

Tuanku Muhriz also expressed his gratitude to the late Dr MK Rajakumar, also a Malaysian who became the president of the global WONCA body from 1986 to1989, adding that it was an honour for the AFPM that the Young Doctors Movements of WONCA named its Asia Pacific chapter the Rajakumar Movement.

Tuanku Muhriz was also delighted that two of AFPM's members won prestigious awards in WONCA-Asia Pacific Region for 2021, with Prof Dato Dr Sheikh Amin receiving the WONCA-Asia Pacific Region 5-Star Doctor Award and Dr Noor Hazana Harun getting the Rajakumar Movement Rising Star Award.

"They will now compete for the global WONCA awards with nominees from other regions," he said.

He also hoped that the incoming leadership for the 2021-2023 session would continue to carry on the good work laid down by the outgoing Council, led by president Prof Meng-Chih Lee of Taiwan and his executive team.

-- BERNAMA