Malaysia's Health D-G Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah Is Now A Tan Sri

Plus more quick facts about the senior consultant surgeon who is now the public face of Malaysia's response to the Covid-19 pandemic

1. He is a recipient of the 2020 Federal Awards

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In August 2020, Dr Noor Hisham was conferred the Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota (P.S.M) at the 2020 Federal Awards, which carries the title of ‘Tan Sri’. Organised in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah’s birthday in June, the 2020 Federal Awards were postponed to August this year due to the pandemic.

2. He was named among the top doctors in the world for his response to Covid-19

To applause from Malaysians on social media, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was recently named by China Global TV Network (CGTN) as one of the top 3 doctors in the world in the fight against Covid-19, along with Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Ashley Bloomfield, the director-general of health in New Zealand.

Dr Noor Hisham, 56, was hailed for his consistently calm and collected approach in delivering Covid-19 updates to the public whether through the daily press conferences or social media.

3. He has been the director-general of health since 2013

Above Photo: @KKMPutrajaya/Twitter

Dr Noor Hisham has been serving as the director-general of health for 8 years. Before that, he held the post of deputy director-general of health since 2008.

According to his official biodata on the Ministry of Health (MoH) website, the senior consultant breast and endocrine surgeon at Putrajaya Hospital holds a Masters in Surgery, a Medical doctorate degree from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and completed his Fellowship Training in Breast Endocrine Surgery at the Royal Australasian College Of Surgeons.

4. One of his winning qualities is his humility

Above Photo: Noor Hisham Abdullah/Facebook

When asked how he felt about being called a hero by fellow Malaysians, Dr Noor Hisham reportedly said: “It’s not about me. It’s about what we can do together as one for the Covid-19 situation.”

More: Are These The Most Luxurious Private Hospitals In The Klang Valley?

5. He’s the subject of memes and fan art on social media

Above This Twitter post by Youtuber Alena Nadia is among the top trending posts about Dr Noor Hisham on Twitter

Given his unexpected and newly minted celebrity status, Dr Noor Hisham has his fair share of interest on social media including a number of humorous internet memes and posts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, all in praise of his efforts.

For the latest updates about the Covid-19 pandemic, follow the Twitter accounts of Dr Noor Hisham @DGHisham and Malaysia's Ministry of Health @KKMPutrajaya.

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tan sri dr noor hisham abdullah covid-19 medical doctors Ministry of Health

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