Green healthcare: Dr Aishah (centre) launching Green@UMHealth. With her are (from left) Zeeda Fatimah, Prof Zamri, Prof Yang Faridah and Prof Nah.
Universiti Malaya (UM) is now home to the country’s first academic health centre dedicated to advancing sustainability in healthcare.
The milestone was marked by the recent launch of Green@UMHealth. Spearheaded by the Faculty of Medicine, the initiative seeks to address the pressing environmental challenges facing the healthcare sector while nurturing a new generation of eco-conscious healthcare professionals through medical education, research and clinical operations.
The Green@UMHealth initiative is part of a broader effort to harmonise environmental stewardship with its core mission of innovation and societal impact.
It aims to address critical areas such as resource optimisation, waste reduction, and sustainable clinical practices.
UM pro-chancellor Toh Puan Dr Aishah Ong, who officiated the event on Dec 18, called for collective action to ensure a sustainable future.
Highlighting the power of individual and collective choices in making a lasting difference, she said the varsity’s initiative is a reminder that every action counts.
“By making small, conscious decisions today, we can pave the way for a healthier planet and a brighter future for generations to come,” she said in a press release.
UM deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs) Prof Dr Zamri Radzi emphasised the dual responsibility of healthcare professionals to not only educate and shape future practitioners but also to lead by example in creating sustainable practices within hospitals, clinics and communities.
He said Green@UMHealth embodies a bridge between the faculty’s medical expertise and the university’s broader sustainability agenda, demonstrating that environmental responsibility and healthcare innovation can go hand in hand.
Sharing inspiring examples of how the varsity’s community-driven approach has achieved tangible environmental benefits while fostering a culture of ecological mindfulness among students, staff, and the wider community, its Sustainability and Development Centre director Assoc Prof Dr Zeeda Fatimah Mohamed highlighted UM’s history of grassroots sustainability initiatives that have grown into transformative programmes.
During the launch, a forum moderated by Prof Datuk Dr Yang Faridah Abdul Aziz provided further insights into the challenges and opportunities of embedding sustainability in healthcare as the panel explored strategies to create a lasting culture of environmental responsibility within clinical faculties and hospitals.
Green@UMHealth head Prof Shireen Anne Nah Han Yien showcased several ongoing projects under the initiative, including efforts to rationalise the use of surgical trays and reduce plastic packaging in the inpatient pharmacy.
She said these practical measures demonstrate how every stakeholder in the healthcare system can play a vital role in promoting sustainability.
