KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Health Department has welcomed its new director Dr Maria Suleiman (pic), who brings decades of experience and a distinguished track record in managing health crises.
Dr Maria, who previously served as the state deputy health director (public health), is highly regarded for her expertise in epidemiology and crisis response.
Throughout her career, Dr Maria has been instrumental in strengthening disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response efforts in Sabah and beyond.
She played a key role in managing several health crises, including the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the aftermath of the Lahad Datu intrusion in 2013.
Her leadership was also pivotal during the 2015 Mount Kinabalu earthquake and the Malaysian Field Hospital mission in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in 2018, where she coordinated medical relief operations.
Dr Maria’s commitment to public health was further exemplified in 2019 when she led the response to the Sungai Kim Kim chemical contamination incident in Johor.
Her expertise in handling large-scale health emergencies led to her appointment as the head of the National Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Internationally, Dr Maria represents Malaysia in several Asean forums, including the Asean Emergency Operations Centre Network and Asean Disaster Health Management initiatives.
Replacing outgoing director Datuk Dr Asits Sanna, who retired earlier this month, Dr Maria is also an accomplished researcher and educator.
She has also contributed as a part-time lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Kota Kinabalu Allied Health Science College, nurturing the next generation of health professionals.
