Doctors on call

FIVE medical doctors and two medical assistants made their way to Kota Tinggi last week to join friends and volunteers from MedicAsia to continue post-flood health screening. The doctors and MAs were from HUSM in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

The medicine men (and one woman) had four young lads from Warisan Global (WG), a knowledge building outfit from Kuala Lumpur as company for five days.

The doctors were attached to Hospital Kota Tinggi, bringing with them expertise and experience in family medicine, emergency care and child counselling. A seasoned paediatrician was also in the team.

Thanks to the generosity of the hospital director, the volunteers were housed in a vacant bungalow in the hospital compounds. The hospital was so stretched after the second wave of floods which adversely affected 40 per cent of its staff.

The four lads from WG brought an additional dimension to caring for flood victims. Graduates all of them, the lads would organise games, telematches, run quiz, painting competition and lots of other activities to keep the children in relief centres occupied.

I talked to a few ladies at one of the relief centres. I had asked whether they would mind having the young men in the hall making noise and creating a small din. "Tak pa. Kami lagi suka. Kalau tak buat cam ni, budak-budak ni merayau entah ke mana-mana (Go ahead, it's alright. If you don't do this, God knows where the kids will be going to occupy their time)."

MedicAsia's lensman recorded these pictures to give you some sampling of the work undertaken by the volunteers. We wish to thank the relevant people in Kota Tinggi, particularly Dr Salamah from the hospital and local ADUN Dato Halimah Sadique for their support and encouragement.

MedicAsia's next tour of duty will be in several Orang Asli villages in the Kota Tinggi/Mersing area.