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Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar
Deputy Director, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health,
dr.zainal@moh.gov.my
Dr. Zainal Ariffin Omar is the Deputy Director of the Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia. His main professional agenda includes improving population’s health in all parts of the country especially in area of prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), using evidence-based policy, enhanced quality services, community empowerment, building bridges between health and non-health partners and promoting innovation and creativity to meet the public health challenges especially in NCD.
Trained as a physician, obtained MD from The National University of Malaysia (UKM-1982), Master in Public Health from College of Public Health, University of the Philippines (1985) and MSc Epidemiology from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London (1992). He has thirty years of experience in medical & health field as Medical Officer (MO), Medical and Health Officer (MHO), Medical Officer of Health (MOH), State Maternal and Child Health Officer (MCHO), in several hospitals and districts in Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu, and Negeri Sembilan, and at the Headquater of the Minsitry of Health, Malaysia since 1982 till now.
He has served WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, as a Medical Officer and temporary Advisor in the field of NCD and Diabetes from 2000 to 2002. At WHO, his works including setting-up The Westerns Pacific Declaration On Diabetes, development of Integrated Prevention and Control of NCD in Vietnam, Mongolia and the Philippine and development of MOANA Network. Dr. Zainal has been invited to give lectures at local and oversea universities, conferences and technical meetings. He has published and presented several papers, reports, and technical notes. He has served on several Technical Working Groups in NCD, Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Public Health at local and international levels
Dr. Zainal has received several Excellence Service Awards from the Ministry of Health and State Government of Terengganu and State of Negeri Sembilan. He served as a Vice-Presidentt (2002-2004) and the President (2004-2006) of Public Health Specialist Association, Malaysia. He is also a Fellow of Public Health Medicine Malaysia (FPPHM).
