nd
Forging Ahead: Bridging Gaps in Global Surgery
9-11th July 2025,
Hilton Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Abd Kahar bin Abd Asis
Datuk Dr. Abd Kahar Bin Abd Asis is the Deputy Director of Health (Medical) at the Sabah State Health Department.
He holds an MD from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and furthered his education with a Master of Hospital Administration (MHA) from the University of The Philippines.
Datuk Dr. Abd Kahar has a distinguished career in public health administration. He has served as the Deputy Director of Health (Medical) for the Sabah State Health Department since 2018. Prior to this, he was the Head of the Medical Section at the Sabah State Health Department from 2014 to 2018. His extensive experience also includes leadership roles as Hospital Director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2 (2011-2013), Papar Hospital (2010-2011), and Tawau Hospital (2004-2007).
Abstract
The global surgery agenda emphasizes equitable access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care as a critical component of universal health coverage. At the state level in Sabah, overseeing 23 diverse hospitals with operating theatre facilities, effective implementation of this agenda presents unique opportunities and challenges.
This talk will outline Sabah's strategic approach to integrating global surgery principles into our public health system. We will discuss key pillars of our implementation framework, including efforts in surgical workforce development, infrastructure enhancement across urban and rural facilities, improving access to essential surgical services for our diverse population.
We will also address specific challenges inherent to Sabah's geographical and demographic landscape, highlighting innovative solutions and collaborative partnerships forged with federal agencies, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations. The objective is to share our progress, lessons learned, and future directions towards building a resilient, accessible, and high-quality surgical care system for all Sabahans, ultimately contributing to national health goals.