Abstract
Planetary Health is an emerging interdisciplinary field that recognises the deep interconnection between human health and the health of the Earth’s natural systems. Coined by the Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission in 2015, it expands the focus of health beyond traditional biomedical and social determinants to include ecological boundaries and environmental integrity. In this presentation, we explore why Planetary Health is increasingly relevant to medical education and how it can be integrated into the MBBS curriculum at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), guided by the university’s philosophy of “Medicine with a Soul”.
The presentation begins by outlining the evidence that environmental change is reshaping the global disease landscape. Climate change has intensified the frequency and severity of heatwaves, floods, and droughts, while air pollution contributes to over 7 million premature deaths annually. Vector-borne diseases such as dengue are expanding into new areas, and zoonotic spillovers like COVID-19 and Nipah virus highlight the link between environmental degradation and emerging infectious diseases. These realities affirm that health is now ecologically determined, and that doctors must understand and address these upstream environmental risks to provide effective care.
In response to these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) now recommend integrating planetary health into medical curricula. Future doctors must be equipped with competencies in climate risk assessment, sustainable clinical practice, and systems-based thinking. The healthcare sector itself contributes 4 to 5 percent of global carbon emissions, making it essential for doctors to also lead in reducing environmental harm within their own institutions.
This presentation argues that for IIUM, the integration of planetary health is both an educational imperative and a spiritual obligation. Islamic principles of amanah (trust), khalifah (stewardship), and islah (restoration) position doctors as protectors of creation. Therefore, planetary health is not only a scientific and ethical duty but a reflection of divine accountability.
We propose a way forward by embedding planetary health themes into existing modules rather than adding standalone content. This includes training lecturers through workshops and toolkits, localising content using Malaysian case studies such as haze and floods, and updating assessment methods to include reflections, OSCEs, and community projects. The curriculum should also foster interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement. Examples such as the University of Oslo’s climate-health elective and the UCSF-led Planetary Health Report Card showcase how medical schools globally are incorporating planetary health into education and advocacy.
IIUM is uniquely positioned to become a model for Islamic and global planetary health leadership. By aligning curriculum reform with the university’s vision of realising competence, compassion, and conscience, IIUM can produce graduates who are not only clinically excellent but also ethically grounded and ecologically responsible.
This presentation concludes with a call to action for IIUM to champion planetary health as a core medical competency. In a world facing climate disruption and ecological collapse, doctors must rise as trusted voices, informed healers, and stewards of both human and planetary wellbeing. May Allah guide us in this mission.
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