ASEAN Community Needs To Establish Cooperation In Pathology

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The impending formation of the ASEAN Community on Dec 31 should be a catalyst to set up an ASEAN Reference Lab or ASEAN Reference Centre to establish regional cooperation and sharing expertise in the field of pathology. Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said Malaysia currently sent specimens abroad for rare diagnostic tests. "If ASEAN cooperation could be integrated and an ASEAN Reference Centre set up, it would provide more meaning to the ASEAN Community. This way, the opportunity for cooperation and sharing of expertise could be forged at ASEAN level," he told reporters after opening the 2015 International Pathology Day at National Cancer Institute here Monday. At the ceremony, Dr Subramaniam also presented the Pathology Personality Award to Dr Mohd Zaini Abd Rahman, 70, who set up the Kuala Lumpur Hospital lab and developed the country's laboratory services in pathology. -- BERNAMA