Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the agreement would provide opportunities for Malaysian doctors and health personnel, especially those who have completed their training or studies in Britain, 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,” said Khairy at a press conference here. “As for Malaysia, (it will be) an opportunity for our doctors to venture into their respective fields in the UK or with the NHS.”

The agreement was signed at a meeting between Khairy, foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah and the British foreign secretary, Elizabeth Truss, who arrived yesterday as part of her first visit to Southeast Asia since her appointment in September.

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

He said informal discussions had begun and would be followed by discussions at the ministry level with the British high commission in Malaysia.

“We look forward to working with the UK which has successfully developed the AstraZeneca vaccine,” he said.