KUALA LUMPUR: Professor Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy has officially assumed the role of Malaysian Medical Association president following its first-ever virtual annual general meeting on Saturday.
Dr Subramaniam replaces former MMA president Dr N. Ganabaskaran who now holds the role of immediate past president.
Dr Subramaniam said his focus will be looking into current issues faced by the medical fraternity and to work closely with the government in finding solutions.
"I am looking forward to working closely with our Private Practitioners Section (PPS) and Section Concerning House Officers and Medical Officers (SCHOMOS) and all the newly elected office bearers to resolve issues faced by our colleagues.
"MMA will continue to engage and work closely with the government on all issues concerning healthcare.
"I look forward to meeting often with the Health Ministry and continue with the special relationship MMA has built with the ministry over the years, " he said during his online appointment on Sept 26.
Dr Subramaniam also highlighted issues concerning the employment of junior doctors and assured MMA members he will look into the matter through closer engagement with the government.
The University Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine head of surgical disciplines has been a member of the MMA since 1978.
He has served the Health Ministry for 22 years and was posted as a plastic surgeon to the Kuala Terengganu General Hospital (now Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital), which covered east coast hospitals.
During his posting, Dr Subramaniam established the very first Burn Management Centre in Terengganu between 1987- 1994.
A new plastic surgery and burns unit were set up when he was the senior consultant plastic surgeon for Ipoh General Hospital (now Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital) and the Perak state between 1994-1998.
He also helped establish many other Burns Management Centres in the country cooperating with the Burns Unit of Kansas University Hospital in the United States.
Due to his pioneer work in the burns unit in the nation, Dr Subramaniam earned the nickname, 'Father of Burns', among the plastic surgery fraternity.
He also played a major role in organising training in plastic surgery for doctors and nurses at established overseas centres due to a close working relationship with the international plastic surgery fraternity.
Dr Subramaniam obtained his MBBS from JIPMER Pondicherry University of Madras in India and FRCS from Glasgow and received training in Plastic Surgery, under JPA scholarship in Australia from 1981to 1985.
Also elected for the MMA new 2020-2021 term were Dr Koh Kar Chai (president-elect); Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo (honorary general secretary), Dr Vasu Pillai Letchumanan (honorary general treasurer); Dr Arvindran Alaga and Dr Kevin Ng Wei Shan as honorary deputy secretaries.
While Dr Vijay Ganasan was elected as SCHOMOS chairman and Dr Sivanaesan Letchumanan as PPS chairman.