The Division of Rheumatology at Universiti Malaya is a highly respected unit providing rheumatology service based at a university in Malaysia. The unit has been prviding healthcare, medical education, and medical research services since the early 1990s. In the beginning, it was composed of trainees and consultants in general medicine, as well as other medical fields including Nephrology, Haematology, and Geriatric Medicine, due to its broad scope. This initiative resulted in the creation of the Rheumatology unit, which has since evolved into the distinguishe Division of Rheumatology of Universiti Malaya.
In the past few decades, especially since the early 2000s, the Rheumatology unit has expanded its clinical services and has emerged as a prominent centre for managing and treating rheumatological conditions covering areas within the Klang Valley and its neighbouring regions. It caters to a large number of people affected by rheumatic musculoskeletal and autoimmune conditions, with an estimated patient count of over 3,000. The unit has seen an increasing number of patients coming from all over Malaysia.
The unit's primary focus is not only on clinical services but also on educations. The unit has been involved in the training and education of the undergraduates and postgraduate students of the Universiti Malaya. These students represent a diverse range of programmes, going beyond the medical degree programme. The unit is acknowledged as a training centre for rheumatology candidates for the Rheumatology subspecialty programme in Malaysia. Rheumatology clinical fellowships have also been successfully completed by international fellows from countries like the Maldives, Myanmar , and Sudan.
Nevertheless, the team of doctors of the rheumatolpogy unit also actively participate in major rheumatology conferences delivering lectures at national and international levels. Associate Professor Fariz Yahya dan Professor Raja Jasmin are also committee members of the Malaysian Society of Rheumatology (MSR). Professor Raja Jasmin also holds various appointed positions in the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) including scientific committee member and co-convenor of scleroderma special interest group.
The unit maintains close relations with patients advocacy groups, including the Arthritis Foundations of Malaysia (AFM) and the Lupus Association of Malaysia, also known as Persatuan SLE Malaysia (PSLEM). These important societies received strong support from the rheutmatology unit, as previous presidents of these societies were rheumatologists from Univesiti Malaya.
Last Update: 13/11/2024
