The newly renovated Occupational Health Clinic, located on the ground floor of the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) main building, is now fully operational. The clinic had its soft launch on 24 January 2020, and on the same day, welcomed its first patient. As the first occupational health referral clinic in a hospital in Malaysia, it continues to play a crucial role in managing occupational diseases and injuries for staff from Universiti Malaya (UM) and UMMC, as well as members of the public. Additionally, the clinic conducts medical surveillance programs to monitor the health and well-being of UM and UMMC employees exposed to occupational hazards.
The Occupational Health Clinic was originally established in March 2005, with the support of Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Mohd Amin, the then Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Director of UMMC. Since its inception, the clinic has served as both a teaching facility and a healthcare service provider. It was designed to allow postgraduate students from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (SPM), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, to develop clinical skills in occupational health while simultaneously providing essential occupational health services to the community. A key component of the clinic’s service is the Workplace Walk-through Survey, conducted when a patient’s condition suggests a potential occupational cause. These surveys, which assess workplace conditions and potential hazards, are provided at no additional cost to patients or their employers, reinforcing the clinic’s commitment to comprehensive occupational health management.
For years, the clinic operated using shared facilities in the ENT Department, RUKA, O&G, and UMMC Staff Health services. However, with the strong support of Prof. Dr. Ikram Shah Ismail, the former Director of UMMC, and Prof. Dr. Tunku Kamarul Zaman, the current Director of UMMC, the clinic was finally allocated its own dedicated space in 2019. Thanks to Prof. Dr. Tunku Kamarul’s leadership and commitment, funding was secured for the clinic’s renovation, allowing it to function independently for the first time since its establishment. This milestone marks a new era for occupational health services at UMMC, ensuring better healthcare delivery and enhanced training opportunities for future occupational health specialists.
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