Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan is a distinguished healthcare professional who currently serves as the Director-General of Health at the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Malaysia. He previously served as the Deputy Director-General of Health (Research and Technical Support), Head of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Services, and the National Head of Service for Internal Medicine at MOH. He has also held several other prominent positions in the healthcare sector, such as Head of Medical Department at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Kedah, Malaysia, Head of Service for Internal Medicine, and Head of Clinical Research Centre for the Kedah State.
Throughout his career, Dr Muhammad Radzi has been instrumental in drafting national level policies, particularly in gastroenterology and hepatology practice, and his contribution to the specialist medical qualification evaluation committee of that said specialty from 2013 to 2021 has been significant. He has also played a crucial role in DNDi’s journey to continue helping patients in need of treatment without leaving them behind.
Dr Radzi strongly believes that research should benefit society the most and is currently working towards establishing better accessibility to hepatitis treatment for patients. He is determined to ensure that the best possible treatments are available to all patients, especially the vulnerable population, through treatment decentralization. As an ardent researcher, Dr Muhammad Radzi is spearheading projects researching new hepatitis treatments, such as reduction of treatment duration, which over time will help improve patient compliance to visits and treatments. Additionally, he is actively involved in research exploring novel liver biomarkers to detect and prevent complications like hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis.