# Isham Jaafar

Mohammad Isham bin Jaafar is a Bruneian physician who currently serves as the current Minister of Health since 2017.

## Education

Isham graduated from University of Dundee with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1995 and later completed his specialist training in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), Malaysia. He then completed his fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. Moreover, in 2014, he acquired fellowship recognition from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, American College of Cardiology and the ASEAN Cardiology Congress. Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and European Society of Cardiology recognize Isham's fellowship in 2015.

## Medical career

In 2005, he became the Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Cardiac Centre Gleneagles JPMC. Since November 2009, Isham was promoted to the position of a Chairman among Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JMPC)'s board of directors and the executive director of Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC). Under his leadership, both JPMC and PJSC's laboratory have been accredited respectively by the Joint Commission International (JCI) in 2014 and International Standardization Organization (ISO) in 2017. On December 1, 2017, Isham was appointed the Minister of Health by replacing Zulkarnain Hanafi after being consented by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Isham retained his position in the 2018 Bruneian cabinet reshuffle, which replaced six ministers. He was again retained following the 2022 cabinet reshuffle.

### First LVAD

At a press conference held at Gleneagles JPMC (GJPMC) on 29 November 2014, Health Minister Adanan Yusof revealed that Brunei's first left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has just been installed in a patient with heart condition. Mumtazali Mohd Abdul Aziz, 51, reportedly had a mechanical heart implant that allowed him to lead a somewhat normal life following surgery. On 11 November, a surgical team led by Dato Isham installed an LVAD under the supervision of Professor Dr. Jaap Lahpor of the Netherlands, a leading expert in the installation of mechanical cardiac devices.

### COVID-19 pandemic

At a press conference held at the MOH on 13 April 2020, Dato Isham said that the development of patients testing positive once more for COVID-19 is extremely concerning because it is still unknown how the new virus infects and how it will evolve. Seven additional patients were revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus once more after the recent finding of one repeating patient, bringing the total to eight. For individuals who fall into certain criteria, the second COVID-19 booster shot administration will begin on 15 June 2022. Dato Isham revealed this at a news conference held at the Al-'Afiah Hall, Ministry of Health (MoH). According to him, despite having had three prior vaccines, older people and those with weaker immune systems are more likely to experience serious side effects with COVID-19.

### MOH Intelligence Hub

At the EVYD Campus in Brunei's Jerudong, the MOH and Singapore-based EVYD Technology officially opened the MOH Intelligence Hub. The ministry wants to aggressively use technology to advance Brunei's healthcare ecosystem's global-leading digital optimization. Dato Isham stated:
   MOH Intelligence Hub in EVYD Campus demonstrates the strategic relationship among healthcare technology, data analytics, research and policy planning. It will function as a sandbox for collaboration, knowledge generation and practice transformation. The Hub will provide a co-working space for different teams dealing with data and intelligence. Facilitating these enhanced interactions all in one location will provide Brunei with more value-added insights to craft data-driven decisions around population health with greater confidence.

## Views

Dato Isham emphasized the significance of creating and maintaining efficient systems and capability for avoiding, identifying, and handling public health catastrophes. On 25 and 26 August 2022, he delivered a speech at the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on Health and the Economy meeting in Bangkok. In addition, he emphasized the necessity for continuous monitoring based on transparency and the use of digital technology to link information throughout the world, as well as for assessing, modernising, and reforming the global health security system.
According to Dato Isham, the future health budget would increase as a result of the rising price of prescription drugs and medical care, an increase in the number of patients, and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Speaking before the Legislative Council, he suggested a $418 million health budget for the fiscal year 2023–24, an increase of 8.3% over the amount allotted the year before. Despite the government's best efforts, the minister noted, chronic health problems including diabetes, malignancies, and heart disease remain on the rise.
Dato Isham urged students majoring in medicine, dentistry, and similar health fields to pursue extracurricular activities while pursuing their medical degrees during a discussion meeting with the MoH's leadership on 21 July 2024. According to him, the necessity for other sectors like information technology and artificial intelligence is growing as medical services expand. In addition, he urged students to become members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), even if they have nothing to do with health.

## Initiatives

At the 7th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Cardiac Society of Brunei Darussalam, Dato Isham stated that overall, cardiovascular disease-related premature mortality rose from 20% in 2013 to 26% in 2018. According to him, it is crucial to consider fresh approaches to providing healthcare in this new normal brought on by the epidemic. In addition, the minister stated that in light of the present pandemic of non-communicable illnesses, they must consider using the recent lessons in digital health to the treatment of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Young people's heart disease, the significance of risk factor modification, and the application of digital technologies and machine learning in the management of heart disease were all given particular attention during the meeting.
Isham Jaafar paid a visit to the School of Public Health NUS on 8 February 2023 as part of follow-up conversations following the signing of an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He was joined by members of the Brunei High Commission as well as his wife, Norsurainah @ Noraslinah binti Ramlee. Along with Prof Teo Yik Ying and the other Vice Deans present, they offered their insightful knowledge of public health issues and perspectives on population health efforts.
At the third iteration of the Youth Town Hall Brunei, Young Professional Networks (YPN) and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) recently sponsored a discussion with senior government officials. Youths had the chance to interact with two officials, Badaruddin Othman and Isham Jaafar, at the forum with the theme Leading in Times of Uncertainty, which highlighted how times of crisis and uncertainty are frequently times of reckoning and a chance to reflect, learn important lessons, and uncover new opportunities. The goal of the discussion is to inspire young people to overcome the COVID-19 disruptions by being more resilient and prepared, especially given that the epidemic is still spreading around the world.

## Personal life

Isham is married to Datin Dr. Hajah Norsurainah @ Noraslinah binti Haji Ramlee. During his personal free time, he enjoys golf and racquet sports such as badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Additionally, he stated that he enjoys playing FIFA on the PlayStation.

## Honours

* Order of Setia Negara Brunei First Class (PSNB; 15 July 2018) – Dato Seri Setia
* Order of Seri Paduka Mahkota Brunei Second Class (DPMB; 2011) – Dato Paduka