GENERAL practitioners (GPs) should be given greater recognition for their role as the first point of contact for patients besides their contribution to preventive healthcare, said Penang health committee chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen.
He said GPs played an important role beyond diagnosing and treating illnesses, including health education, early detection and encouraging healthier lifestyles.
“For many patients, the GP is the first point of contact when they have a health concern,” he said at the 27th Penang General Practitioners Conference 2026.
Gooi said the close and continuous relationship between GPs and the community placed them in a unique position to improve health outcomes.
He said continuous professional development was also important as medical knowledge continued to evolve and technology transformed healthcare delivery.
“By keeping up with new knowledge, treatment approaches and developments in healthcare, practitioners can continue to improve the quality of care provided to their patients,” he said.
Gooi said conferences such as the three-day event organised by Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Penang Branch provided opportunities for healthcare professionals to exchange knowledge, share practical experiences and discuss challenges.
The conference featured more than 20 specialist talks covering chronic kidney disease, artificial intelligence in radiology, sudden vision loss, women’s health, gout, colorectal cancer screening and paediatric care.
Other sessions covered medicolegal issues, financial literacy, artificial intelligence in clinical practice, diabetes management during Ramadan, palliative care, fall prevention and new treatment approaches.
MMA Penang chairman Datuk Dr Parmjit Singh said the conference attracted about 150 participants from across Malaysia and covered a wide range of medical specialties.
He said the event was primarily a continuing medical education (CME) programme, with specialists sharing the latest developments in their respective fields.
“This is basically a CME thing where the doctors will come and get the latest updates from the speakers.
“We cover a wide range of specialties, including ear, nose and throat (ENT), ophthalmology and paediatrics.
“This year, we even covered AI,” he said.
Dr Parmjit said participation was lower than in previous years, when the conference typically attracted between 300 and 400 doctors, partly because another medical conference was being held in Kuala Lumpur at the same time.
“This year it’s 150 people, mainly from Penang with other doctors from all over Malaysia.”
He said MMA Penang has about 1,400 members, including medical students, with more than 700 doctors from the private sector.
