Malaysian Skin Foundation
About Us
Malaysian Skin Foundation (MSF) is established by a group of dermatologists from the Dermatological Society of Malaysia who recognized the need to address the significant impact of skin conditions on individuals and communities in Malaysia. Our aim is to improve the quality of life of those suffering from skin conditions and to empower them by providing them with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
At MSF, we believe that everyone deserves access to high-quality healthcare, and we work to influence public policy to improve healthcare services for individuals with skin conditions. We strive to be a voice for patients and advocate for better access to care, support, and information to help them manage their conditions effectively.
There are many types of skin diseases that can have a profound negative psychosocial effect – they include inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, autoimmune conditions such as blistering diseases, lupus, vitiligo and congenital diseases like ichthyosis and veno-lymphatic conditions, to name a few. These diseases tend to run a chronic course and living with these conditions can be challenging.
MSF strives to improve treatment access and increase awareness of these diseases, to raise the standard of dermatology through training and to support high quality research that could potentially shape the future of dermatology in Malaysia.
Through our efforts, we hope to create a more informed and supportive community that promotes skin health and reduces the impact of skin conditions on individuals and communities in Malaysia. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about how MSF is working to improve the lives of those living with skin conditions in Malaysia.
Aims
To promote skin health by improving care and treatment access, raising awareness and standard of education and facilitating good quality research.
Believes
That support, information, advocacy and better understanding of skin diseases can empower those affected to make more informed decisions when seeking the right treatment for their conditions.
Wants
To be an effective voice for patients and a key player in advocating better healthcare services.
Aims
To promote skin health by improving care and treatment access, raising awareness and standard of education and facilitating good quality research.
Wants
The MSF also wants to be an effective voice for patients and be a key player in the advocacy to influence public policy for better healthcare services.
Collaborate
For this, the MSF aims to collaborate with healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry leaders to reduce skin disease & promote healthy skin practices.
Support
The MSF also believes that support, information, advocacy and better understanding of the different conditions can empower those affected to make more informed decisions when they are seeking the right treatment for their conditions.
Leadership & Board Members
Board of Trustees
Dr Agnes Heng
Dato’ Dr Sushil Kumar Ratti
Dr Choon Siew Eng
Mr Peter Ho
Ms Patricia Chua
Ms Che Indon Ilyas
Mr Mohd Faiz bin Abdullah
Patient Assistance Programme Committee
Dr Agnes Heng
Dr Benji Teoh
Dato’ Dr Sushil Kumar Ratti
Dato’ Dr Noor Zalmy Azizan
Dr Choon Siew Eng
Dr Tang Jyh Jong
Dr Leong Kin Fon
Miss Luei Jia Qi
Pn Zanariah bt Baharom
Objectives
- To address and accommodate the unmet healthcare needs of Malaysian patients suffering from life-affecting skin diseases through a subsidy scheme.
- To deliver better quality care with the aim of improving the burden of skin diseases
The PAP Committee is responsible to draft out qualifying criteria for assistance, such as type of disease, severity of the disease and type of treatment offered, to identify patients who are in need of assistance, to assess financial status of the applicants through means-testing and to determine the amount and duration of subsidy.
The application process is done through recommendation by the treating dermatologist.
Training Committee
Dato’ Dr Sushil Kumar Ratti
Dato’ Dr Noor Zalmy Azizan
Dr Latha Selvarajah
Dr Sean Yong Shin Shen
Dr Ruban Nathan
Objective
To facilitate education and training particularly in the field of dermatology for Malaysian healthcare professionals.
The training committee of MSF is responsible to identify the needs for education and training of Dermatology not just for medical professionals but also for allied heath personnel and patients. In line with the objective of MSF to facilitate education and training in Dermatology, the Training Committee is of the view that there is a need to strengthen knowledge of Dermatology among general practitioners, as they are the first point of contact for patients who suffer from skin diseases. The committee is looking into providing a Graduate Certificate course for Primary Care Physician. A proposal for collaboration is underway with one of the private universities in Malaysia.
Additionally, MSF training committee hopes to provide guidance and support to dermatologists who are interested in pursuing subspecialty training, as we need more experts in specific areas of dermatology such as photobiology, dermatopathology, allergic disorders and dermatosurgery.
Research Committee
Dr. Choon Siew Eng
Dr Azura Mohd Affandi
Dr Felix Yap Bin Boon
Dr Rajalingam Ramalingam
The Research Committee provides the MSF Board with robust innovative and strategic advice on issues pertaining to research and its research program.
The aims and objectives of the Research committee are as follows:
- Promote and encourage thematic research identified based on unmet needs in Malaysia
- Research will be conducted either by nominated working groups or by MSF members with research proposals in line with identified thematic research.
- To assess, approve and provide funding for research which have received MREC approval