PETALING JAYA: Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has been ranked among "the world’s top doctors” by a Chinese TV station for his strategies in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
China Global TV Network (CGTN) said Malaysia’s Health director-general was one of the three leading doctors in the fight to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus worldwide, along with the US government’s infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci and New Zealand’s director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield.
The three were commended for weeks of calm, clearheadedness besides being trustable sources of facts and information for their nation during the crisis.
Dr Noor Hisham, 56, who has been the Health director-general since 2013, has been called a “trusted face” by Malaysians.
This is due to his consistent updates on the virus on his social media platforms as well as the fact that he only uses verified data and credible sources to make decisions and inform the public.
He also updates the public on social media, sometimes past midnight and in the wee hours of the morning.
CGTN said his low profile and low-key unassuming air was Dr Noor Hisham's appeal, while Bloomfield was described as the quintessential civil servant.
Dr Noor Hisham, who has a Masters in Surgery and Medical degree from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, joined the civil service as a medical officer way back in August 1988.
He specialised in endocrine surgery and trained in various universities in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia.
His work has been published in many local and international journals while he has also written chapters on endocrine surgery in textbooks.
Dr Fauci and Bloomfield have also been reassuring and credible influences in their countries, as both men have consistently kept the public updated, giving interviews whenever possible and working long hours as well.
Dr Fauci, 79 has reportedly worked nearly 16 to 18 hours a day over the past few weeks, prompting people to be worried whenever they did not see him during a White House briefing.
Bloomfield has received extensive praise for his “diligent” and “clear” responses when engaging the press, with many of his countrymen calling for him to be named “New Zealander of the Year”.
Fans of Dr Fauci and Bloomfield have even gone to the extent of setting up fan accounts on social media.
Dr Fauci has been called a “coronavirus crush” and “national treasure” by The Atlantic and The New York Times, with nearly 15,000 people also signing a Change.org petition to get him voted as People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 2020.
Dr Noor Hisham’s admirers have also made it a point to express their gratitude and praise him, saying that “Malaysia is lucky to have” him.
He has also been featured in Ernest Ng’s "Don’t Like That La Bro" online comics as Malaysia’s general in commandeering the fight against the dreaded virus.