PUTRAJAYA – Prominent figures from Malaysia’s healthcare, academia, and medical technology sectors convened at the Healthcare and Medical Devices Industry–Academia Forum held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), to deliberate on strategies that strengthen innovation and resilience in the nation’s healthcare ecosystem.
Themed “Driving Transformation and Innovation in Healthcare Delivery and Medical Devices through Academic–Industry Convergence for a Resilient Malaysia,” the forum underscored the critical role of collaboration between universities and industry players in advancing digital health, artificial intelligence (AI), and medical device development.
The session featured Dato’ Amir Firdaus Abdullah, Group Managing Director and Chairman of Aurelius Healthcare; Dato’ Farshila Emran, Chief Executive Officer of Hanan Medicare; and Dr. Raymond Choy Wai Mun, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Heydoc Health, moderated by Puan Idamazura Idris@Harun, Senior Director of the Policy and Strategic Planning Division, Medical Device Authority (MDA), Ministry of Health.
With 172 participants representing government agencies, universities, hospitals, and private healthcare companies, the forum reflected Malaysia’s growing commitment to integrating academic research with industrial expertise. Discussions covered key themes including digital health and emerging technologies, multidisciplinary workforce development, commercialization of healthcare innovations, and the strengthening of local manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
Dato’ Amir Firdaus Abdullah emphasized that true transformation in healthcare goes beyond operational efficiency, stating, “Efficiency alone does not define quality healthcare. True transformation lies in systems that combine technology with empathy and empower both clinicians and patients.”
Dr. Raymond Choy added that innovation must remain human-centred, sharing, “Healthcare innovation isn’t just about technology, it’s about rethinking how we deliver, finance, and democratize access to care.”
Representing Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) as Co-Secretariat, Dr. Hammad Farhi Mohd Saudi, Director of the Centre for Community Engagement and Industrial Networking (PLiMJI) and Secretary of the Forum Secretariat, underscored the value-driven essence of the collaboration. “This convergence between academia and industry is not just about technology, it’s about people, purpose, and sustainability. Malaysia’s healthcare resilience depends on our ability to collaborate, co-create, and commercialize innovation that truly serves our communities,” he remarked.
Jointly organised by University of Malaya (UM), USIM, and Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), with the support of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and Perbadanan Putrajaya as strategic partners, the forum served as a national platform to advance Malaysia’s healthcare innovation ecosystem and strengthen long-term academia–industry partnerships. The initiative reflects a shared vision to align research, technology, and industry growth toward a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready Malaysian healthcare system.
Written by: Dr. Hammad Farhi Saudi