KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 — Malaysia and the United Kingdom (UK) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate more Malaysian doctors and health workers to work and enhance their expertise in the UK.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the MoU would provide opportunities for Malaysian doctors and health personnel, especially those who have completed their training or studies in the UK, to serve with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).

"We welcome this MoU as a move that can benefit both countries. For the UK, it will be in terms of manpower needed for the health sector.

"As for Malaysia, (it will be) the opportunity for our doctors to venture into their respective fields in the UK or with the NHS,” he told a press conference here.

The MoU was signed during a meeting between Khairy, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Elizabeth Truss.

Truss arrived in Malaysia yesterday as part of her first visit to South-east Asia after being appointed UK Foreign Secretary in September 2021.

Meanwhile, Khairy said Malaysia was also interested in collaborating with the UK in the field of vaccine research and development following the upgrading of the Malaysian Genome Institute into the Malaysian Genome and Vaccine Institute recently.

He said informal discussions on the matter had begun and would be followed by discussions at the Health Ministry’s level with the British High Commission in Malaysia.

"We look forward to working with the UK which has successfully developed the AstraZeneca vaccine and this is an important area for us to work with,” he said.

Khairy also expressed Malaysia’s interest to collaborate with the UK in electronic health records, after taking into account the country’s experience through NHS which is very advanced in the field. — Bernama