KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Malaysia’s first Orang Asli medical post to handle medical emergencies will be set up at the Pos Lenjang settlement in Lipis, Pahang, in three months’ time.
Bernama reported that the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations of Malaysia’s (FPMPAM) Drs for All programme had come up with the initiative as doctors had to travel for almost an hour on logging routes and rivers to reach the Pos Lenjang Orang Asli settlement.
“We were told that the medical officer comes by every week as scheduled, but we were worried whether the residents here knew what would happen if there was an emergency, especially at night, and would they be able to reach a clinic immediately.
“So, we felt that it was only fair that we taught them emergency medical treatment and prepare a medical post with basic medication in case of an emergency,” FPMPAM president Dr Steven Chow told Bernama.
Dr Chow reportedly said the medical post would be run by 14 Orang Asli volunteers, who would be trained on emergency treatment and how to handle minor cases like wounds, fractures or snake bites, before taking victims to hospital.
“For this purpose, we will hold a three-day Orang Asli Medical Training Course here to give exposure to basic emergency treatment. They will attend further courses in Kuala Lumpur in June.
“FPMPAM will return here (Pos Lenjang) to evaluate the volunteers’ ability and skills and choose those who can handle the responsibility of manning the medical post,” Dr Chow was quoted saying.
Dr Chow reportedly said if the Pos Lenjang medical post was a success, FPMPAM hoped to replicate it at other Orang Asli settlements deep in the interior.
