Dr. Sally Suriani Ahip is a Consultant Family Medicine Specialist with extensive experience in primary care and a dedicated focus on geriatric medicine. She received her medical degree (MBBS) from the University of Malaya and completed her postgraduate training in Family Medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).Driven by a strong commitment to improving the care of older adults, Dr. Sally enhanced her expertise through a clinical training program in Community Geriatrics at the University of Adelaide.
She later achieved a significant academic milestone by earning a PhD in Medicine (Geriatrics and Gerontology) from the University of Adelaide. Her professional interests include healthy aging, dementia care, frailty prevention, and the integration of geriatric principles into Malaysia’s primary healthcare system. Dr. Sally is the founder and clinical director of GeKo-ISD (Geriatrik Komuniti -Integrated Services Delivery), the first public primary care initiative in Malaysia to offer an integrated model for frailty management.
She also serves as the clinical lead for Older Persons Public Health Services under the Sarawak State Health Department. Actively involved in research, training, teaching, community engagements and health service development, Dr. Sally plays a pivotal role in shaping services for Malaysia’s aging population. Her work is guided by a strong commitment to patient-centered care and advancing the field of geriatrics within the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.
As Malaysia transitions toward aged nation status, addressing frailty among older adults iscrucial to maintaining health, independence, and quality of life. This session explores evidence-based strategies for preventing frailty and promoting resilience among older persons incommunity and primary care settings. Drawing on local experiences from Sarawak, Dr SallySuriani Ahip will highlight practical, scalable interventions rooted in early screening, person-centred care planning, and multi-disciplinary collaboration. The session will also explore therole of caregivers, community assets, and public health initiatives in strengthening the agingecosystem. Attendees will gain insights into integrating frailty prevention into existingservices, leveraging local partnerships, and building age-friendly systems. Through this, wecan empower older adults not only to age gracefully—but with strength, dignity, and purpose.
