MIRI, 5 May 2026 — The Department of Social and Preventive Medicine (SPM) celebrates the achievement of Dr Imran Azwan bin Azizan, a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate from the Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, who secured Third Place in the Best Poster Award at the 5th International Midwives’ Day Conference 2026 (IMDC 2026).
Held at the Imperial Hotel Miri, Sarawak, the conference brought together 561 participants, including regional delegates from Brunei, under the theme “The Power of Partnership: Midwives Collaboration for Better Maternal and Child Health Outcome.” The event, hosted by Miri Hospital, served as a key platform for advancing midwifery practice and maternal-child health.
Imran’s award‑winning poster, titled “Midwives at the Frontline: Maternal Factors Associated with Low-Birth-Weight Neonates in Government Clinics of Sarawak,” stemmed from his Master of Public Health (MPH) research and highlighted the persistent public health challenge of low birth weight in the state. His study examined maternal and contextual factors, including rural residence, parity, hypertension in pregnancy, and history of low birth weight, using data from government clinics.
Supervised by Associate Professor Dr Farizah Mohd Hairi, the research was conducted in collaboration with healthcare personnel in Bintulu. The findings underscored the essential role of midwives in early risk identification, continuity of antenatal care, targeted counselling, and timely referral pathways, especially for mothers in rural and geographically challenging settings.
Imran expressed that the recognition was meaningful not only academically but also as a tribute to the dedication of frontline maternal and child health teams across Sarawak. His work drew attention to the state’s higher burden of low birth weight compared with national averages and highlighted the need for strengthened midwifery-led collaborative care.
The achievement reflects the Faculty’s commitment to producing practice-oriented, impactful public health research that supports evidence-informed strategies for improving maternal and neonatal outcomes in Malaysia.
IMDC 2026 featured keynote sessions, workshops, and discussions on topics including maternal mortality, fertility trends, early childhood interventions, communication in healthcare, vaccination, medical negligence, artificial intelligence in patient care, and obstetric emergencies. The conference concluded with an awards ceremony recognising outstanding contributions to midwifery research and practice.
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