Kuala Lumpur, 12 December 2024 – CelcomDigi Berhad ("CelcomDigi"), through its Innovation Centre, today has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universiti Malaya (UM) to explore leveraging 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) technologies to position UM as Malaysia's first healthcare institution to pioneer Holomedicine by integrating 3D holograms into clinical care and operating theatres.

The partnership with UM will leverage emerging technologies that offer significant advantages in transforming the healthcare ecosystem. These include bridging the digital gap to improve access to medical care, enhancing precision and patient-centric care, and transforming medical education for future doctors through immersive technologies like XR. The integration of 5G-enabled HoloMedicine amplifies these benefits by improving surgical precision, enabling remote expert consultations, and strengthening Malaysia's position in global health tourism.

The MoU was signed by Professor Ir. Dr. Ramesh Singh Kuldip Singh, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development) of Universiti Malaya, and Kugan Thirunavakarasu, Chief Innovation Officer of CelcomDigi, during the official launch of the National AI Office. The event was witnessed by YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital.

Professor Ramesh said that HoloMedicine is more than a technological innovation; it's a transformative leap toward precision healthcare and immersive education, embodying UM's vision of world-class excellence and community impact.

"This 5G-enabled mixed reality platform would enhance medical training, enabling students and professionals to gain hands-on experience in complex surgical planning, diagnostics, and treatment strategies through immersive and interactive learning, thus delivering exceptional medical services to society," he added.

"Our collaboration with UM aims to equip Malaysian healthcare providers with advanced digital tools that enhance accessibility, efficiency, and personalisation of care," said Kugan Thirunavakarasu, Chief Innovation Officer of CelcomDigi. "By integrating technology across the patient journey, we strive to strengthen public healthcare, making it cutting-edge, accessible, and better positioned to address the Rakyat's needs."

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Universiti Malaya and CelcomDigi leveraging Malaysia's 5G infrastructure to revolutionise medical education and healthcare delivery. Together, we are shaping the future of medicine, equipping medical students with cutting-edge tools like HoloMedicine, and empowering the next generation of medical practitioners to deliver world-class care," said Sirko Pelzl, CEO of apoQlar.

The three-year strategic partnership with UM marks CelcomDigi's latest effort to advance digital healthcare, building on a recent initiative launched during the Malaysia International Healthcare Megatrends event in October to support medical providers with innovative digital solutions.