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Forging Ahead: Bridging Gaps in Global Surgery
9-11th July 2025,
Hilton Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Hj Mohamed Yusof bin Hj Abdul Wahab
Dato' Seri Dr. Hj. Mohamed Yusof bin Hj. Abdul Wahab pursued his medical degree at Universiti Sains Malaysia and graduated in 1987. He obtained his postgraduate degree (F.R.C.S.) in April 1995 at the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh). He was appointed the Head of Department of General Surgery at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR), Klang in 2002 until 2017, where he also served as the Selangor State Head for Surgical Services.
He was then appointed the National Head for Surgical Services from 7 December 2016 until his retirement from Ministry of Health in September 2022. He received the Mahkota Darjah Kebesaran Dato' Paduka Mahkota Selangor (D.P.M.S.) award in December 2010 and the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (D.G.P.N.) award on 14 July 2018.
Post-retirement, he joined MSU Medical Centre, Shah Alam in November 2022 where he was tasked to set up a Public Wing in a Private Centre (PWPC) and was appointed the director of the public wing in MSUMC until now.
Abstract
Healthcare Equity for Affordable and Rapid Treatment Project (Project H.E.A.R.T.) is an initiative by
MSUMC and Yayasan MSU in response to healthcare challenges highlighted in the Lancet Commission
Report and Health White Paper. The project is targeted for patients with long waiting times in the public
sector. An engagement with Ministry of Health (MoH) was done and a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA)
was signed on 18th March 2024. The project was officiated by the Honourable Minister of Health on 25th
April 2024.
Two procedures with long waiting times were identified. Patients who required laparoscopic
cholecystectomy or inguinal hernia repair with a waiting time of more than 2 months were selected. A
year post-implementation, project H.E.A.R.T. succeeded in reducing the waiting time from 6-9 months to
less than 1 month.
In the initial phase, three hospitals were selected: Hospital Shah Alam, Hospital Sultan Idris Shah (Serdang) and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah. Later, Hospital Ampang and Hospital Selayang were included. As of June 2025, a total of 245 patients were operated. – 136 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, 107 inguinal hernia repairs (open and laparoscope).
Implementation is by TEAM approach. Specialist providers from both the public and private sector form
a team. The public sector specialists utilize the existing Flexi scheme and locum privileges to practice in
the private sector.
The private sector provides the required infrastructure to manage the public patients. Nursing team is
provided by MSUMC.