01/08/2026
Building Bridges Beyond Borders: Advancing Healthcare Through Global SULAM and FLEXS International Collaboration
25 –30 July 2026 | Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC), Cotabato City, Philippines
The Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), successfully conducted the Bridging Borders for Better Health programme in collaboration with Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC), Philippines through the Global Service-Learning Malaysia – University for Society (Global SULAM) and Flexible Education with SOUL (FLEXS) initiatives.
Held from 26–29 July 2026, the programme brought together academic experts, healthcare professionals, students, and community partners in a series of impactful academic, clinical, and community engagement activities that strengthened international collaboration while promoting excellence in healthcare, medical education, research, and community service.
The programme commenced with a courtesy meeting with the Medical Center Chief of Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC), Dr. Ishmael R. Dimaren, where both institutions exchanged views on strengthening academic collaboration, healthcare capacity building, research, student mobility, and future partnerships. The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of UniSZA and CRMC to advancing medical education and improving healthcare delivery through meaningful international collaboration.
The programme also featured the Philippines’ first First Aid Aquatic Life Support (AqLS) Workshop, led by Prof. Dr. Shaikh Farid Abdull Wahab, Founder and Course Director of AqLS Malaysia and Deputy Director of the Faculty of Medicine, UniSZA. Conducted in collaboration with the Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Surgery, CRMC, the workshop equipped members of the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT) with essential competencies in drowning prevention, aquatic rescue, trauma management, and coordinated emergency response through lectures and simulation-based training.
UniSZA student delegates also participated in the Above 60 Academy, where they engaged with healthcare professionals, older persons, and members of the Deaf community in programmes promoting healthy ageing, proper nutrition, inclusive communication, and lifelong learning. This meaningful experience strengthened students’ understanding of person-centred care, cultural diversity, and community engagement while fostering intergenerational learning.
As part of the Global SULAM initiative, UniSZA delegates actively participated in community outreach programmes organised by the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Activities included the “Dugo Mo, Buhay Ko: Isang Patak, Isang Pag-asa” voluntary blood donation campaign, house-to-house community health visits, deworming activities, health promotion, and preventive healthcare education alongside Family and Community Medicine residents and Barangay Health Workers. These experiences enabled students to translate classroom knowledge into meaningful service while developing empathy, leadership, intercultural competence, and social responsibility.
The programme also featured the two-day Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Workshop, themed “Beyond Gray Lines: POCUS in Primary Care and Resource-Limited Settings.” Facilitated by Emergency Medicine experts from UniSZA, USM, and CRMC, the workshop brought together physicians from the Ministry of Health–BARMM, Integrated Provincial Health Office, Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital, and various CRMC departments. Through lectures, live demonstrations, case discussions, and hands-on scanning sessions, participants enhanced their competencies in bedside ultrasound, improving diagnostic accuracy, clinical decision-making, and patient care in emergency medicine, primary care, and resource-limited healthcare settings.
The Global SULAM initiative demonstrated how service-learning transforms academic knowledge into meaningful community impact by immersing students in authentic healthcare environments. Complementing this, FLEXS (Flexible Education with SOUL) promoted experiential learning, international knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional capacity building, allowing students and healthcare professionals from Malaysia and the Philippines to learn from one another while addressing real-world healthcare challenges.
The Faculty of Medicine, UniSZA, extends its sincere appreciation to Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), healthcare professionals, community partners, organisers, facilitators, and all participants for their invaluable support and commitment to this successful international collaboration.
Together, through Global SULAM and FLEXS, we continue to build bridges beyond borders—transforming education into service, strengthening healthcare systems, and creating lasting impact for communities across nations.
