Decision to end recognition of UK heart surgeons’ programme shocking, says senator

Dr RA Lingeswaran said countries like Singapore and Hong Kong continue to recognise the training provided by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, but Malaysia does not.

PETALING JAYA: A senator has asked the health ministry to clarify why the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) decided to cease recognising the parallel pathway programme for cardiothoracic surgeons involved in twinning programmes with universities in the UK.

Dr RA Lingeswaran said that under the programme, Malaysian doctors were sent by the government to acclaimed institutions such as the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to train as cardiothoracic surgeons.

Lingeswaran, a former director of the Sungai Bakap Hospital in Penang, said the medical fraternity was shocked over this decision.

He said it was “nonsensical” that countries like Singapore and Hong Kong continue to recognise the training provided by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, but Malaysia does not.

“Is the MMC doubting the credibility of this institution?” he asked during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Negara.

“None of these programmes at local teaching hospitals are recognised by MMC.

“The health ministry must clarify this decision.”

Lingeswaran said the specialist course under the parallel programme had been recognised until 2021, according to ministry records.

After that, he said, it suddenly went missing from the list of recognised postgraduate qualifications in the MMC website and no reason was provided.

He said he had checked the names of certain Malaysian cardiothoracic surgeons with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and found them to have a good standing with the institution although they were not recognised locally.

He also asked the minister to clarify claims that the MMC is opposing the recognition although the speciality subcommittee for education in the health ministry had recommended that the qualification via the parallel pathway be accepted.

Lingeswaran said the government had gone on record to say it had spent RM2.4 million for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons. But with the sudden derecognition, the minister must clarify the status of those who were enrolled in the programme.

“There are those who had enrolled into the programme before 2021 when it was still recognised by MMC. When they complete the programme six years later, they cannot be registered as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

“This will be a gross injustice to them,” he said.