PUTRAJAYA: “It is not about me. What is important at the moment is what we can do together as one for (the nation to break the chain of the) Covid-19 (transmission).”
That was the response by Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on being labelled as a ‘national hero’ by social media users, following his leadership efforts to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
“To me, (the title) is not important. What is more important are our services (in preventing further escalation of the pandemic in the country),” said Dr Noor Hisham in his short response during a press conference here today.
Dr Noor Hisham was also commended for his carefully thought out words used in communicating the crisis during press conferences and in providing prompt updates on his Facebook and Twitter pages.
Netizens were quick to commend his clarity and candour in managing the health crisis.
Dr Noor Hisham was appointed as the Health Ministry’s director-general on March 1, 2013, after serving as its deputy director-general since Feb 1, 2008.
He is also the head and senior consultant breast and endocrine surgeon in Putrajaya Hospital.
Dr Noor Hisham, who has a master’s degree in surgery and a medical doctorate from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, joined the civil service as a medical officer in August 1988.
He then went on to specialise in endocrine surgery and did his training in various universities in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia.
Dr Noor Hisham has published numerous articles both in local and international journals and written many textbook chapters in endocrine surgery.
He also provides leadership in many different innovative health outreach learning and programmes in the country.