Obituary Prof. Zarina Abdul Latiff

Prof Dr Zarina Abdul Latiff, a Senior Consultant Paediatrician & Clinical Geneticist at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) passed away on 15 October 2022 at the age of 55 at UKMMC in Kuala Lumpur, after battling cancer for more than 6 years. With her demise Malaysia not only lost the pioneer in the fields of Clinical Genetics and Genetic Counselling but also an outstanding Paediatric Hemato-oncology.

Prof Dr Zarina Abdul Latiff started her career as a medical doctor upon graduating from University of Malaya in 1992 and subsequently obtained her Master of Medicine (MMed) in Paediatrics from UKM in 1998. She then pursued her postgraduate sub-specialty training in medical genetics at the University of Glasgow and University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. Upon her return to Malaysia, she continued to serve as a senior lecturer at UKMMC. She was later promoted to Associate Professor and then Professor at the Department of Paediatrics. In 2011, she was appointed as the Head of the Department of Paediatrics followed by the appointment as Deputy Dean of postgraduate studies of UKMMC. She was also the Head of the Thalassaemia Centre at UKMMC and a committee member for the development of UKM Children Specialist Hospital.

As a health advocate for women and children, Prof Dr Zarina was active in community service and in various professional organizations and NGOs. She was the co-chair for the Health Committee of National Council of Women’s Organisations Malaysia (NCWO). She was also a committee member of the Clinical Management and Support of Rare Disease as well as, an executive committee member for the Global Globin Network and a member of the Education Committee for Human Genome Organisation (HUGO). In 2020, she was conferred Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (D.N.S) by the state ruler DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus, Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawi as a recognition of her professional and civic contributions.

Prof. Dr. Zarina will always be remembered for her sincerity, kindness, dedication, dilegence, and patience in dealing with work and life. Her fiery spirit and positive outlook in life has made her an exemplar professional well-respected by all.

Prof. Dr. Zarina is survived by her daughter, relatives, students, patients, colleagues, and friends who mourn her death. May Allah grant her the eternal abode in Heaven and grant her family fortitude and sabr in this difficult time.

Al-fatihah.

Written by, Prof Zilfalil bin Alwi Universiti Sains Malaysia