Dear MSO members, 

In the span of 3 months since the last edition, time seemed to have stood still, yet passed by so quickly at the same time. The nation was put under a Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) since June 1 due to the unprecedented number of cases and deaths due to Covid-19, with many new Variants of Concern (VOC). Schools were closed, and offices were restricted in the number of staff allowed at any one time. Cabin fever is real. The struggles faced by the rakyat to make ends meet is a sobering reminder of the untold damage caused by this pandemic. Our hearts go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones directly or indirectly due to Covid-19.

Healthcare workers have trudged on bravely for more than a year now, but this recent wave of sicker patients and greater infectivity is something we are still coming to terms with. In the midst of fighting the pandemic, many of our frontline doctors (our contract medical officers) are faced with the prospect of losing their jobs in a few months’ time once their contract ends.

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has started a movement in solidarity with our contract healthcare workers (HCWs). The “Code Black” movement aims to raise awareness of the plight of our contract HCWs in the hope that an amicable solution can be found quickly for the affected staff. MSO is giving our full support for this movement as the current situation will have a profound impact on the future of our healthcare system if nothing is done. We hope our members will do their part in showing support to this movement. If you are unsure how you can show your support, do get in touch with us. I believe that with each of our participation, we could create a ripple effect to mandate change.

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” - Mother Teresa

ARTICLES

PERSONALITY FOCUS: THE JOURNEY FROM AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST TO AN OCULOPLASTIC SURGEON

Dr Kamala was born in Kuala Lumpur and is the eldest and only daughter for her parents. She studied in Sentul Convent and was very active in the sports field being the school player for netball, badminton and high jump. Medicine was not her first choice as she was more interested in becoming an architect or commercial artist. She enjoyed painting and making handicrafts for which she received awards in national school competitions. She studied French and took it as a subject in Senior Cambridge Examination hoping to pursue architecture in France or Australia.  However, God had other plans for her.

She studied Medicine in Kasturba Medical College Manipal which included a compulsory internship and graduated in 1979. She did her housemanship in Seremban followed by medical officers posting in Melaka whereby she worked in paediatrics department for about 1½ years and in Klinik Kesihatan of Merlimau Jasin and Sungai Rambai for about 9 months. She was then posted to Hospital Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan for 6 months and subsequently to the Eye department of Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban. She worked with the late Dr Gomathi for 1 year.

She joined the third batch of the Masters Programme of Ophthalmology UKM which she completed in 1988.

Why Ophthalmology?  because it was a mixture of fine surgical skills and medicine.

BOSS - BORNEO OPHTHALMIC SURGERY SYMPOSIUM

The Borneo Ophthalmic Surgical Symposium or BOSS was originally called the Kuching Eye Forum. It had its inaugural in-person meeting in Kuching in 2018 followed by the second event in 2019. The main objective of the meetings is to promote and encourage ophthalmic Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities in the Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah which are rather isolated from Peninsular Malaysia not just geographically but in CPD activities as well. Dr Peter Kong from Kota Kinabalu has been integrally involved and incredibly supportive since our inception in 2018. The emphasis has always been on surgical video recordings and presentations to improve the microsurgical skills of the attendees.

In 2020, due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we were forced to host the meetings on a virtual platform. This has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we were able to transcend physical boundaries to reach out to a wider audience and encouraged more participation from across the Straits.

The inaugural BOSS virtual meeting was held on 8 May 2020, with a theme focusing on “Capsular Problems, Management of Subluxated IOL and Yamane IOL Fixation”. The meeting was particularly insightful for cataract surgeons facing issues with capsular bag instability and offered innovative solutions to the fixation of the intraocular lens. The panel of speakers comprised of Dr Lee Mun Wai, Dr Choong Yean Yaw and Dr Dennis Kong respectively. Dr Chin Pik Kee was the moderator.

TRIBUTE TO DR ZAINAL BIN MOHAMAD

The late Dr Zainal bin Mohamad was born on 9th August 1959 at the Kajang District Hospital. From an early age, he showed an aptitude for the books as well as extracurricular activities. Enrolled in the prestigious St John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur for his secondary education, he was an active debater as well as a member of the school band. After high school, he pursued his medical undergraduate degree at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and obtained his MD (UKM) in 1985. A strong interest and an inquisitive mind led him to further train as an ophthalmologist in UKM. His willingness to impart knowledge to others led to him being appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Ophthalmology, UKM in 1991.

He took his career to the next level by completing his fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology in Nottingham, United Kingdom in 1998. He then joined the Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital (THONEH) in 1999, where he served as the Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist and Refractive Surgeon with distinction until his last day. His quiet and unassuming demeanour belie the various leadership positions that he held. Dr Zainal was appointed the Person-In-Charge in THONEH on 17th April 2015. He became the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA)’s Ophthalmological Society from 1994 to 1997, and he was also actively involved as a committee member of Masjid Jamilhuda in Ampang.