Klinik 1Malaysia | Pusat Rawatan Alternatif Rakyat

Oleh JAGATHESWARY NARAYANAN
n.jagatheswary@kosmo.com.my

Klinik 1Malaysia yang diwujudkan di kawasan penempatan golongan berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana misalnya di kawasan Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) telah pun meringankan beban rakyat untuk mengunjungi klinik swasta.

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SULAIMAN Awang, 72, sudah boleh menarik nafas lega. Dia tidak perlu risau lagi tentang tempoh perjalanan kalau hendak pergi ke klinik. Sebabnya sekarang dia hanya perlu berjalan kira-kira lima minit untuk mendapatkan rawatan kesihatannya. 

Klinik 1Malaysia yang diwujudkan di kawasan penempatan golongan berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana seperti di kawasan Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) nyata meringankan beban rakyat biasa, terutama warga emas seperti Sulaiman. 

Klinik yang dibina di 50 buah lokasi di seluruh negara itu dilancarkan secara serentak pada 7 Januari lalu. Sempena perasmian secara besar-besaran, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak telah berkunjung ke Klinik 1Malaysia di Kerinchi dan Lembah Subang sebagai simbolik bermulanya operasi klinik secara rasmi.

Ia diperkenalkan bagi memudahkan golongan kurang mampu yang ingin pergi ke hospital-hospital kerajaan, semata-mata mendapatkan rawatan sebagai pesakit luar.

Bagaimanapun, Klinik 1Malaysia hanya menyediakan rawatan untuk penyakit ringan seperti demam, selesema dan batuk. Selain itu, rawatan untuk sakit kepala, cirit-birit, jangkitan mata merah, gastrik, gatal-gatal, luka kecil dan sebagainya turut ditawarkan kepada orang ramai. 

Sulaiman yang tinggal di PPR Permai sebelum ini terpaksa berjalan jauh ke klinik untuk mendapat rawatan. Dalam keadaan fizikal yang semakin uzur, warga emas itu perlu meminta bantuan daripada sahabat handai atau jiran tetangga untuk membawanya ke klinik swasta mahupun hospital kerajaan yang terletak lebih setengah jam perjalanan dari Kerinchi. 

"Tempoh perjalanan sudah membuatkan saya rasa sangat penat. Sampai klinik, saya perlu jalan lagi untuk dapat rawatan pesakit luar. Saya sudah tua, tidak ada tenaga untuk berjalan, tetapi hendak buat macam mana, kena hadapi juga semua ini.

"Bagusnya kerajaan bina klinik baru ini. Kawan yang beritahu ada klinik untuk golongan sederhana seperti saya. Hati pun rasa senang dan gembira," demikian luah Sulaiman ketika ditemui Kosmo! baru-baru ini. 

KLINIK 1Malaysia di Kerinchi ini merupakan salah satu daripada 50 buah klinik yang dilancarkan secara serentak di seluruh negara pada 7 Januari ini.

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Dia berjalan perlahan-lahan sambil memegang erat tongkat kayunya menuju ke arah klinik yang bertempat di Kuarters Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) berhampiran (PPR) Permai. 

Pesara tentera yang telah menetap di PPR Permai sejak setahun lalu itu, datang ke klinik kerana masalah sakit sendi yang sudah berlarutan selama dua hari. Kawannya yang menyedari tentang kewujudan klinik itu terus membawa Sulaiman ke sana. Klinik 1 Malaysia Kerinchi dikendalikan oleh seorang Penolong Pegawai Perubatan (MA), dari Jabatan Kesihatan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, jururawat terlatih dan pembantu rawatan kesihatan. 

Sebelum berjumpa dengan MA, pembantu rawatan kesihatan, Shazilah Hasan membuat pemeriksaan awal ke atas Sulaiman. Klinik kecil itu turut menyediakan pemeriksaan kesihatan seperti tekanan darah tinggi, paras gula dalam badan dan berat badan ideal. Pemeriksaan mendapati tekanan darah Sulaiman agak tinggi, mungkin kerana dia berjalan dalam cuaca panas dan dinasihatkan untuk rehat buat seketika. 

Setelah lebih kurang 15 minit berlalu, MA, Iszwan Cabrini Muhamad memanggil Sulaiman untuk membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan. Selepas selesai pemeriksaan, Shazilah tampil untuk memimpin Sulaiman keluar dari bilik pemeriksaan dan memberi ubat-ubatan yang sesuai kepadanya. 

Selepas ini dia tidak perlu risau untuk mencari klinik di tempat lain jika menghadapi kecemasan. Pada masa yang sama, dia tidak bimbang akan bayaran kerana kosnya jauh lebih murah berbanding klinik swasta. 

Sungguhpun murah, layanan dan rawatan boleh dipercayai sama seperti perkhidmatan yang disediakan di hospital atau klinik lain.

PEMBANTU Rawatan Kesihatan, Shazilah Hasan membuat pemeriksaan awal ke atas Sulaiman Awang.

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Klinik 1Malaysia yang beroperasi setiap hari dari pukul 10 pagi hingga 10 malam hanya mengenakan bayaran RM1 kepada pesakitnya.

Bagi pemegang kad Suruhanjaya Tinggi Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu bagi Pelarian (UNHCR) akan dikenakan caj sebanyak RM7.50 dan warga asing pula perlu membayar RM15. 

Pengecualian diberi kepada kakitangan kerajaan yang membawa surat dari jabatan, pelajar sekolah, kolej dan universiti yang mempunyai surat pengecualian serta kanak-kanak berusia bawah setahun. 

Sebanyak 50 buah klinik yang dibuka terletak di seluruh negara. Lima buah di Pulau Pinang, Johor, Wilayah Persekutuan dan Selangor. Empat buah klinik di Perak, Sabah dan Sarawak. Tiga klinik sama pula beroperasi di Terengganu, Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan dan Kelantan. Selain dua buah di Kedah dan sebuah klinik di Perlis. Kerajaan telah membelanjakan kos sebanyak RM10 juta untuk membina semua klinik tersebut. 

Sementara itu, Thanaletchumy Sundaraj, 41, yang datang ke klinik itu mengakui pembukaan Klinik 1Malaysia berhampiran tempat tinggalnya memang memudahkan hidupnya. Dia yang menghidap penyakit lelah sering juga mengalami selesema dan batuk. Kalau keadaannya serius, hendak pergi ke klinik swasta bukan sahaja jauh, cajnya juga mahal. 

"Sejak dahulu lagi, saya sering terfikir akan kebaikan adanya kemudahan klinik seperti ini. Tidak disangka hasrat yang lama terpendam akhirnya menjadi kenyataan dengan pembukaan Klinik 1Malaysia di seluruh Malaysia. 

"Kami yang tinggal berhampiran bandar pun tetap berasa perit kerana sukar mendapatkan rawatan untuk masalah kesihatan biasa. Bagi mereka yang tinggal di luar bandar, nasib mereka mungkin lebih membimbangkan," jelas ibu kepada empat orang anak itu yang tinggal di PPR Permai sejak lapan tahun lalu.

PEMERIKSAAN dan rawatan di Klinik 1Malaysia jauh lebih murah berbanding klinik kesihatan dan swasta yang sedia ada.

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Seorang lagi pengunjung yang dikenali sebagai Azlin Sari, 30, memberitahu dia datang dari Melaka untuk menziarah saudaranya di Kerinchi. Dia cukup tertarik dengan reka bentuk dan suasana klinik berkenaan. Walaupun ruang klinik terhad, tetapi ia masih dapat memenuhi keperluan orang ramai. 

"Penubuhan klinik seperti ini secara tidak langsung mampu meningkatkan kualiti kesihatan masyarakat setempat dan menyedarkan mereka tentang kepentingan penjagaan kesihatan. Ini kerana penyakit boleh menjangkiti kepada sesiapa tanpa mengira umur, pangkat, bangsa dan agama.

"Penyakit kecil-kecil seperti demam, batuk, selesema dan cirit-birit boleh mengundang kepada pelbagai penyakit kronik yang membahayakan nyawa seseorang," ujarnya yang bersetuju bahawa inisiatif kerajaan dalam menitikberatkan kebajikan golongan berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana adalah satu langkah positif dalam melaksanakan tanggungjawab sosial kepada rakyat jelata. 

Iszwan Cabrini Muhamad memberitahu, klinik itu dilengkapi dengan kemudahan asas rawatan. Misalnya, set memeriksa tekanan darah, troli kecemasan, sofa pemeriksaan, nebuliser dan ECG (mesin kardiogram elektro). Turut disediakan, risalah-risalah kesihatan untuk bacaan orang ramai.

Katanya, angka kunjungan orang ramai ke klinik di Kerinchi itu sudah pun mencecah kira-kira 100 orang setiap hari. Kadangkala, bilangan yang ramai membuatkan mereka terpaksa menunggu lama untuk mendapatkan rawatan. 

Ada juga pesakit yang mencadangkan supaya klinik itu menawarkan rawatan untuk penyakit kronik dan mewujudkan kemudahan ambulans jika berlaku kes-kes kecemasan. 

Selain merawat penyakit-penyakit tidak serius, dia juga perlu mematuhi Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) untuk merawat para pesakit. Pada masa yang sama, harus mendidik para pesakit mengenai kepentingan kesihatan untuk kesejahteraan hidup mereka. Dengan ini, orang ramai lebih peka terhadap kesihatan dan mengutamakan gaya hidup yang sihat.

Artikel Penuh: http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2010&dt=0114&pub=Kosmo&sec=Urban&pg=ur_01.htm#ixzz2L8e8nJj5
Hakcipta terpelihara

200,000 Doses Of H1N1 Vaccine For High-Risk Groups From February

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Some 200,000 doses of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccine will be allocated for high-risk groups such as pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases beginning next month.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said they could get vaccinated with the vaccine for free at the government hospitals and clinics.

Speaking to reporters after visiting Tung Shin Hospital here today, Liow said the balance of 300,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine from the 400,000 ordered from Britain would be received at the end of this month.

"We will conduct (100,000) vaccinations on the frontline workers first, and then the high-risk groups like pregnant women, the obese, and those with high blood pressure and so on.

"They are our priority before the vaccine is distributed for other groups in preventing and curbing H1N1 infections," he said.

On the H1N1 situation in the country, Liow said it was under control, with the ministry abiding by the World Health Organisation's directive for continuous close monitoring of all cases of flu.

"We are worried if the H1N1 virus will mutate. But our monitoring have so far not shown that the virus has mutates into other forms."

He said the district health officers had also been instructed to obtain all flu samples for further tests.

On another matter, Liow said the ministry would work at enabling private doctors to serve as locums at government hospitals and clinics as soon as possible.

"They told me that they had applied to serve as locums but they never got invited. After our dialogue session with the Malaysian Medical Association last Friday, we will work together at improving health services in the country."

Asked whether the private doctors would want a higher payment as locums at the government hospitals, Liow said the current payment was reasonable at RM80 per hour.

Earlier, he handed over two mock cheques for RM2 million each to Tung Shin Hospital and the Chinese Maternity Hospital for the purchase of equipment and medicines.

Liow called for the setting up of more non-profit-based hospitals to enable the low-income group to seek treatment at such hospitals.

-- BERNAMA

Tualang Honey Has Potential To Be Used In Cancer Therapy - USM Study (BERNAMA)

KOTA BAHARU, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- Tualang honey, mostly found in lowland rain forests of Peninsular Malaysia, has the potential to become a supplement for cancer therapy, especially breast cancer, said Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Prof Madya Dr Nik Soriani Yaacob.

Dr Nik Soriani, USM Kubang Kerian Pathology Department's Head of Department, said initial research found honey from the Tualang trees had a very high potential to be used for proliferation of cancer cells and destroy 'bad' cells to prevent them from spreading.

"However, the research is still in the early stages and need a more in-depth study to determine honey can kill active cancer cells," said Dr Nik Soriani who presented a paper on the activities of Tualang Honey as an Anti-cancer supplement, at the 2nd International Conference on the Medicinal Use of Honey.

About 300 delegates attended the two-day seminar organised by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), to discuss the qualities and nutritional values of honey in the medicinal field and explore various ways of popularizing the product.

Dr Nik Soriani said the next step would be to study whether Tualang honey can kill active cancer cells or would be able to reduce the dosage of drugs and radiation used to kill cancer cells.

"The study is to identify whether honey can reduce or prevent cancer because earlier studies have shown honey had components like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer," said Dr Nik Soriani.

She added that studies had also shown that Tualang honey had anti-cancer qualities and significant cytotoxic effect on cancer cells cultured in the lab.

"Cancer cells treated with Tualang honey went through a apoptosis process where cancer cells die, a process that normally does not happen, and Tualang honey can also expedite the effect of tamoxifen that is used to kill cancer cells," she said.

Meanwhile, USM Clinical Research Dean Prof Dr Nor Hayati Othman said FAMA had contributed 1.3 metric tones of honey for the research, especially for research on cancer.

Through research since 2006, Tualang honey has been identified as among the purest form of honey and probably better than some of the imported honey.

"Honey that is not in its purest form can cause side effects in the long run and must be avoided," said Dr Nor Hayati.

Tualang honey is extracted from honeycombs found atop Malaysia's tallest tree - Tualang tree - which grows to an astonishing height of more than 250m (about 30 storeys) and found in East Asian rainforests and is mostly found in Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, northeastern Sumatra, Borneo and Palawan.

The towering tree is best known as home of the Apis dorsatas or Asian rock bees, the world's largest honeybees and the most ferocious, who build their disc-shaped honeycombs on horizontal branches of the tree and each tree can have more than 100 honeycombs.

Some honeycombs are two metres long and can contain as many as 30,000 bees.

They are said to prefer the Tualang tree because the branches start at least 30 metres above the ground and moreover, the trunk is slippery, making it hard for honey-loving sun bears to climb.

-- BERNAMA

1Malaysia Clinics No Threat To Private Clinics - Najib

January 07, 2010 14:37 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said private doctors needed not worry that their earnings would be affected with the existence of 1Malaysia clinics.

He said this was because the 50 1Malaysia clinics set up nationwide would concentrate on giving patients normal medical examinations like checking blood pressure level for hypertension, and sugar level.

"Actually, they (private doctors) will not be affected because the cases from here (1Malaysia clinics) will be referred to them for further examination or treatment, or the patients will then go to the government hospitals.

"So, I do not regard this as a win-lose situation but actually a win-win situation...it's easy for the people while the private clinics will receive patients as usual," he told reporters after launching the Kerinchi 1Malaysia Clinic in Lembah Pantai here Thursday.

The prime minister was replying to a question on the concern voiced by the Malaysian Medical Association (MAA) over the existence of 1Malaysia clinics as they felt it could affect their income.

He said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai would hold a dialogue session with MMA members to assure them on the matter.

However, he stressed that 1Malaysia clinics were established solely for the benefit of the people.

"It is all for the interest of the rakyat who are our number one concern... this is what the government stands for," he said, adding that there were already 44 1Malaysia clinics in operation nationwide.

Najib said establishing the 44 clinics within two months was a record for the Health Ministry under the 2010 Budget, as the target of setting up 50 such clinics was almost met within such a short time.

On the proposal to increase the number of 1Malaysia clinics, he said the government would evaluate the need based on the public response and the effects of the new approach in expanding public health care.

"If the response and effects are good, the clinics will possibly be increased...but let us evaluate first as 50 (clinics) is a big number. And we also need to determine the effectiveness of these clinics and this new approach. From there, we can decide," he said.

Najib said most of the 1Malaysia clinics were located in town areas as outside urban areas were 2,000 rural clinics which had existed since the country's independence.

He said the government had allocated RM10 million for the 50 1Malaysia clinics this year, but the amount was not for the buildings but for the internal fittings and medicines only.

Earlier, Najib who is also Finance Minister, said the setting up of the clinics was truly in line with the 1Malaysia concept mooted by him, as they were open to all races, especially from the low-income group.

He said the effort was introduced and implemented by the government to ensure that quality health services in this country could be justly, equitably and wholly accessed by the people. "That's the government's aspiration," he added.

"And access to the service (from 1Malaysia clinics) definitely involves a minimum cost, that is, RM1...the cheapest in the world or can be regarded as almost free.

"Besides that, patients don't have to wait long as the 1Malaysia clinics will provide fast service. In this situation, the Health Ministry also benefits as the government hospitals will be less crowded with patients needing just basic treatment."

Najib said the 1Malaysia clinics would operate daily, seven days a week, from 10am to 10pm, and manned by paramedics comprising medical assistants and trained nurses.

-- BERNAMA