A landmark courtesy visit on Tuesday, May 6th, 2025, brought together leaders from the Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Malaysia (AOEMM) and the Ministry of Health’s Digital Health Division, signalling a promising step towards enhanced occupational health nationwide.
Led by AOEMM President Dr Abu Hasan Samad, alongside council members Prof. Dr Retneswari Masilamani, Prof. Dr Victor Hoe, and Dr Anza Alias, the delegation met with Dr Maheshwara Rao Appannan, Director of the Digital Health Division, and his dedicated team, which included Dr Vivek Jason Jayaraj, Dr Siti Aishah Binti Iskandar, Dr Nurain Amirah Binti Zolkefli, Dr Nur Atikah Binti Mohd Nasir, Dr Sarah Idayu Binti Mohd Abd Latiff, Dr Iesza Raihan Binti Ali, and Dr Nurul Zariffa Binti Saat.
The highly fruitful discussion centred on the innovative prospect of integrating occupational history tracking into the MySejahtera platform. MySejahtera was chosen because it has widespread adoption across Malaysia and is evolving into a national digital platform for public health, aligning with the Ministry of Health’s digitalisation plans and supporting public health management. The inclusion of occupational history is crucial, as it can provide valuable insights into how work impacts health, thereby enhancing public health surveillance and enabling more targeted workplace health and safety initiatives. This integration can also contribute to a more comprehensive lifetime health plan for individuals. Key considerations explored included technical feasibility, data privacy and compliance requirements, implementation timelines, and the significant potential benefits for public health monitoring and workplace safety initiatives.
Dr Mahesh and his team showcased the impressive advancements of the MySejahtera platform and their ongoing efforts to improve its accessibility and utility. The dialogue regarding occupational history integration was notably positive, culminating in an agreement for further discussions to define the specific information required for this vital addition to MySejahtera. AOEMM intends to leverage the expertise of its members to consult with the Ministry and collaboratively define a set of practical and impactful occupational data points. This process will involve developing a framework to ensure the collected information is relevant for improving occupational health outcomes and can be seamlessly integrated while upholding stringent data privacy standards. This collaborative effort promises to pave the way for a more proactive and informed approach to occupational health in Malaysia.
Article written by Victor Hoe