Clinical Practice
Dr Ponniah is a Specialist General Surgeon whose main focus is breast disease and cancer. She also takes care of those at high risk of developing breast cancer either because of personal or family history. Dr Ponniah says she admires the courage of these brave women when they receive their cancer diagnosis and feels privileged in being able to have an ongoing dialogue about their tailored care. She has been operating in this field for over 15 years. Managing breast diseases is a team effort and her practice is supported by an outstanding multidisciplinary team and access to all diagnostic and treatment modalities. This includes:
- Comprehensive breast imaging with digital mammography and USS
- Stereotactic and USS guided wire insertion
- Nuclear medicine for sentinel node localisation
- Medical and Radiation oncology
- Breast cancer research
Background and Training
Dr. Ponniah earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Barkatullah University, India, in 1995. Her journey in medicine continued with Advanced Surgical Training in Malaysia, culminating in the attainment of a Master of Surgery degree in 2004. As a general surgeon with a keen focus on breast surgery, she practiced in district and tertiary hospitals, and breast and endocrine Surgery was her main focus at Putrajaya Hospital, the country's endocrine referral centre.
In 2011, Dr. Ponniah relocated to Perth with her young family dedicating two years to breast oncoplastic training. Her commitment to excellence led to the award of the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons after successfully completing the required examinations.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ponniah has been devoted to the public healthcare system and has served as a role model for female surgeons. She held honorary lecturer positions at training hospitals in Malaysia and currently serves as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Notre Dame. Dr. Ponniah extends her medical expertise to vulnerable and underserved communities in rural Malaysian towns during her personal time. Notably, she has organized 'Breast Awareness Campaigns' with breast imaging facilities where breast screening programs were unavailable.
Currently, Dr. Ponniah serves as the Head of the Department of the Breast Centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, where she practices as a General and Breast Oncoplastic Surgeon, continuing her commitment to providing high-quality care to patients.