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Forging Ahead: Bridging Gaps in Global Surgery
9-11th July 2025,
Hilton Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Mohd Sofan bin Zenian
Mr. (Dr) MOHD SOFAN ZENIAN is a Sabahan native with humble background, raised as a kampung boy in a remote village in Kota Belud. He pursued his medical degree at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and later earned a Master’s in Neurosurgery from Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). As the first Sabahan neurosurgeon, he now leads the neurosurgery service in Sabah, driven by a passion to elevate medical and healthcare services, particularly in neurosurgery.
Growing up in rural community, Mr. SOFAN ZENIAN witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by Sabahans, especially the underprivileged, in accessing quality healthcare. These experiences fueled his determination to create meaningful change. He firmly believes that he can offer significant contribution to improve the neurosurgery services in Sabah and Malaysia.
Through the global neurosurgery platform, Mr. SOFAN ZENIAN has helped transform neurosurgery landscape in Sabah, ensuring timely and life saving interventions particularly for neuro emergency cases from remote and out skirt areas. Inspired by Global Surgery Initiative, his work has expanded access to critical care for underserved populations.
Looking ahead, Mr. SOFAN ZENIAN aspires to establish more neurosurgery centers across Sabah and mentor young local talents to pursue careers in neurosurgery, ensuring sustainable growth and excellence in neurosurgical care for future generation.
Abstract
Global Neurosurgery is an evolving field dedicated to improving access to neurosurgical care worldwide, particularly in low and middle income countries (LMIC) where services are frequently limited or not available. Although Malaysia is not considered as an LMIC, significant disparities in neurosurgical care access persist between urban and rural regions.
The Malaysian Global Neurosurgery (MGN) initiative aims to narrow this gap, ensuring all Malaysian receive safe, effective neurosurgical care and interventions in a timely manner.
The focuses of MGN includes on providing safe neurosurgical services particularly for emergency neurosurgery cases through capacity building, specialized training and strategic resource allocation.
MGN also committed in developing local neurosurgical expertise via structured Master of Neurosurgery training programs and fellowships programs, conducting targeted data collection and research to address both national neurosurgical challenges and specific regional barriers to design strategic moves for both short and long terms solutions.
Achieving these goals often necessitates collaboration with local authorities and health care policy makers to sustainably enhance neurosurgery service delivery.
In summary, global neurosurgery is a vital field dedicated to tackling global disparities in neurosurgical care worldwide, aiming to ensure equitable access and improve patient outcomes across all nations with diverse healthcare setting.