M'sia Scores High Points As Education Centre From UNU

TOKYO, May 26 (Bernama) - Malaysia scored high points Friday for its efforts to become a global hub for education when the prestigious United Nations University here sealed a pact with the government to pave the way for the setting up of an international institute for global health in Malaysia.
The United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) will join hands with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia to undertake high quality research in public health, control of newly-emerging diseases, telemedicine and health finance reforms.
It will be located at the UKM Hospital in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. A critical area for the Third World is in the public health delivery system, whereby research will be undertaken to ensure that poor people in remote areas have quick access to quality medicine and medical facilities.
To this end, a memorandum of understanding was signed at the Capitol Tokyu Hotel between the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education and UNU, and witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
In a speech at the signing, Abdullah said that on May 17 the Cabinet gave the approval for the pact as it was serious about Malaysia getting to work fast to undertake research on what was a crucial area given the spate of infectious diseases that has plagued the region in recent years.
He said Malaysia, which has pledged US$46.65 million (US$1=RM3.68) for UNU-IIGH for the next decade, would not be stingy to share its research findings with other countries.
Malaysia has advanced in instituting effective public health policies via well-planned health policies which helped it to deal with and eradicate some very infectious diseases.
However, Abdullah said, the institute was important as "we are still baffled over the spread of HIV-Aids globally and we hope that the medical community worldwide would work hard to find a cure".
"The institute would lead to the strengthening of all matters related to a preventive and promotive approach to health," he said.
At the signing of the MoU, the ministry was represented by its secretary-general, Datuk Dr Zulkefli A. Hassan, while the university's rector, Prof Hans van Grinkel, signed for UNU.
Grinkel said Malaysia was chosen given its track record in fighting infectious diseases, such as SARS and avian flu, as well as its strategic and effective programmes to eradicate poverty and uplift the quality of life.
He said research on public health was crucial, especially for many Third World countries which were still grappling with improving the quality of health of their populace.
He cited how in Japan the life expectancy had over time risen to 81 years but in Malawi it had dropped to 40 years.
In Malaysia, the life expectancy for men had risen to 73 years while women would live a year longer than their male counterparts.
UNU-IIGH would also establish cooperation and undertake dialogue with universities, research institutes, governments, non-governmental organisations, industries, the United Nations and other organisations.
Managed by a director to be appointed by the UNU rector, UNU-IIGH would have 12 research fellows and 10 support staff.