DR NOOR HISHAM ABDULLAH

As Malaysia’s director-general of health, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has been leading the charge to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in the nation. In his daily briefings, the doctor uses newspaper, “the actual number of COVID-19 cases showed a lower trajectory compared to the projection done by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research”. The Health Ministry is presently working with the World Health Organisation to research a viable vaccine against COVID-19; however, Noor Hisham says that it will take a year or more before one is available. “What is important is that Malaysia is included as part of a global research effort launched by WHO to start drug trials for COVID-19,” he said during a press conference. The trial he was referring to is called Solidarity, and Malaysia was among the selected countries as it fulfilled criteria such as having a good medical system, well-trained local researchers, and a suitable platform to conduct the tests.