Flash floods, landslides, and influenza are among the disasters that Malaysians regularly face. While these natural occurrences are inevitable, prevention and preparedness are critical.
On August 23, Malaysia experienced a tragic incident when a sinkhole appeared on Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, swallowing a 48-year-old Indian tourist, Vijayaletchumy, as she walked outside Malayan Mansion.
This alarming event was part of a worrying trend of sinkholes in the city. Are we truly safe? Such humanitarian crises serve as urgent reminders of the need for preparedness.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Syafwan Adnan, an alumnus of Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP) and Founder and Head of Emergency and Trauma Medicine at SASMEC @ IIUM, emphasises the importance of disaster management.
“When I pursued my studies in Disaster Medicine at Harvard Medical School and became the first Malaysian fellow at the institute, it truly opened my eyes.
“I witnessed how disaster planning and research were conducted at the highest level. Being surrounded by some of the best minds in the field at Harvard, which is the pinnacle of medical academia, pushed us toward more profound research and training. Most importantly, it helped me build invaluable connections.
“The challenges we face are similar to those of other countries, particularly in collaboration, contributions, and knowledge development—especially in training. This is the direction we are moving toward in Malaysia, where disaster medicine is still in its infancy,” said Dr. Syafwan, also the Director of the Southeast Asia Chapter for the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM).
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Juggling multiple responsibilities has placed him in various challenging situations. Still, these experiences have grown his leadership and wisdom, enabling him to determine what is best for the nations he serves.
“At the WADEM, bringing people and leaders together under a unified vision is challenging, as everyone has their objectives and ideas. But that motivates me to keep pushing forward,” he added.
His leadership was also tested during the COVID-19 pandemic when he led a group of professors in managing the crisis.
Dr. Syafwan’s interest in humanitarian disaster response was sparked by the devastating floods that hit Malaysia’s East Coast in 2014.
This motivated him to pursue a Master of Medicine (Emergency Medicine) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), deepening his expertise in emergency response.
Beyond his medical career, Dr. Syafwan is also a board member of Yayasan Ezprihatin, a charitable organisation established in 2019.
The foundation aims to improve the living standards of the underprivileged, single mothers, and new converts (mualaf) in Malaysia and abroad.
