In early December 2021, a collaborative agreement was signed between Sunway University and the Malaysian Society of Geriatric Medicine (MSGM). The agreement was signed by Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President of Sunway University and Dr Ungku Ahmad Ameen, President of MSGM, and supported by witnesses, Professor Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam, Dean of the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University and Professor Tan Maw Pin of Universiti Malaya. This event was graced by the Deputy Director General of Health, Dato’ Dr Asmayani Khalib and Professor Elizabeth Lee, the CEO of Sunway Education Group.

This collaborative agreement is a testament to Sunway University and MSGM’s commitment to improving healthcare for the elderly. This collaboration has resulted in the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care for the Elderly (PGDPCE) programme offered by the Department of Medical Sciences at the School of Medical and Life Sciences which is fully accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) since 26 October 2021 (MQA/FA 10099). Sunway University provides two scholarships per year for any Ministry of Health medical doctor who would like to enrol in this programme. Additionally, Sunway also has two scholarship positions for any doctor from the Southeast Asian region who would like to enrol in this programme.

The PGDPCE is a one-year program for medical doctors to upskill themselves in providing care for older adults. The training of doctors to undertake the medical management of older adults who have multiple illnesses concurrently is crucial in helping older adults maintain and lead an independently functional life for as long as possible. The need to have such training of primary care doctors in Malaysia was already recognised more than 20 years ago. A lot can be done to manage older adults’ medical problems to help them independently function for as long as possible. The number of geriatricians in Malaysia is not sufficient to manage the rising number of older adults. As such, the training of doctors, particularly the front-liners working in primary care settings to address health issues of the elderly was mooted. This led to the collaboration between the MSGM and the Department of Medical Sciences at the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University to develop the programme.

Professor Sibrandes Poppema at the signing ceremony opined that the PGDPCE, given the increasing number of elderlies, is a very timely addition to the spectrum of healthcare in Malaysia. The choice to focus on upskilling medical practitioners through a largely online 1-year programme makes this a very effective option. He believes that the programme will serve as an example for many countries across the world.

Dr Ungku Ameen, President of MSGM added by saying “Older persons even though may have similar comorbidity and disease as the younger age group also have other complex issue and needs hence geriatrics medicine is important. This MOU is a good platform to share this knowledge. Thank you to the Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University for creating this platform for the doctors who are interested in the care of older persons.”

Professor Alvin Ng Lai Oon 
School of Medical and Life Sciences
Email: @email

This article was adapted from the SMiLeS Newsletter, Issue 3/2021.