Medical students give back to society
ACCESS to healthcare can be a challenge for the underserved communities.

In tune with their needs, a group of Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students devoted a day to providing a variety of health screening services, including general health, women’s health, children’s health, mental health and dental health, to the local community in Gelang Patah, Johor, recently.

Held at SK Kampung Pulai, the student-led 2024 Health Camp saw Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) Year Five MBBS students addressing the healthcare needs of villagers from Kampung Pulai and Kampung Ulu Pulai, as well as pupils from SK Kampung Pulai.

NUMed Assoc Prof Dr Edmund Ong, an honorary professor and consultant physician (infectious diseases) who oversaw the event, said the health camp played a vital role in improving the health and well-being of the community, fostering a culture of health and ensuring that everyone had access to the care they needed through health screening.

“The medical students have now reached the stage of their training where they are in a position to give back to the community from whom they have learnt throughout their clinical training. It is a pleasure for me to be involved in supervising this health camp,” he said.

Health Camp chairperson and MBBS student Ella Ang Zi Yi said she and her batchmates hoped to give back to society, especially to the underprivileged community, through the education they had acquired.

“Through the health camp, we were looking to increase the community’s awareness of the importance of taking care of their health while inculcating healthy habits and practices among them,” she said.

According to Ang, the students set up several booths, each targeting different groups in the Gelang Patah population.

“Our general health booth even offered smoking cessation counselling,” she shared.

At the health camp, educational talks were conducted by NUMed clinical lecturers on topics such as learning disability by Dr Sankari Ganesh Narayanasamy and HPV infection and cervical cancer by Dr Nurilyani Othman.

Additionally, a blood donation booth was set up by the blood donation team from Hospital Sultanah Aminah, providing an opportunity for attendees to contribute to a life-saving cause.

Ang expressed her hope that through the event, the Gelang Patah community would go on to prioritise both their physical and mental well-being, along with that of their loved ones.

“Exposing people to health screening, for example, allows for early detection of preventable diseases or lowers the risk of them getting infected. Besides that, the health camp promoted health awareness among the community, which is a good way for them to start taking preventative measures to live a happier and healthier life,” she added.

NUMed Clinical Affairs dean Prof Harinarayan Radhakrishna said the health camp served to give back to the very community who provided the students with invaluable learning experiences all these years.

“The free screening and health educational services offered at this camp were done in collaboration with the District Health Office and private hospitals, and it is hoped that we would be able to pick up chronic diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle, thus ensuring our small contribution to the health of the population of our country.

“Congratulations to the NUMed students who had worked tirelessly for several months in planning and executing this camp,” he said.

At the camp, a friendly football match was also held between the NUMed futsal team, Kampung Pulai and Kampung Ulu Pulai, fostering rapport and camaraderie among participants and spectators. The match was followed by a prize-giving ceremony to recognise the efforts and sportsmanship of the players.

The health camp was conducted in collaboration with the NUMed Student Association alongside Columbia Asia, Regency Specialist Hospital, Rotary Club of Johor Bahru, Apex Pharma, vburg, Klinik Kesihatan Gelang Patah and SK Kampung Pulai.

NUMed is the international branch campus of Newcastle University, United Kingdom, offering a foundation in biological and biomedical sciences programme, as well as undergraduate degrees in medicine (MBBS) and biomedical sciences (BSc).
Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia,NUMed,Health Camp
Health camp helps improve well-being of Gelang Patah community.