In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, many young refugee mothers find themselves navigating the complexities of motherhood without the crucial knowledge of contraceptive options.
Dr Hanis Saadah Husin, a Family Medicine Specialist at Red Clinic, sheds light on this issue, revealing that once these women understand the benefits of family planning, they are eager to learn.
"When you ask them about contraception, it's mostly blank stares. Either they have no knowledge of it, or no one has ever asked them about family planning before," she said.
However, Dr Hanis emphasises that once these young mothers are made aware of the benefits of contraception, they are eager to embrace it.
"If you actually spend the time to talk to them, they never refuse our suggestion. Once you explain how beneficial family planning can be, the answer is always yes," she said.
Through its dedicated refugee healthcare programme, which has been operational for two years, the clinic is making a significant impact in addressing the healthcare needs of these vulnerable communities.
By offering essential services such as contraception, antenatal care, HIV treatment, and children’s immunisation, Dr Hanis and her team are not just providing medical care; they are empowering refugee mothers to take charge of their reproductive health and futures.
The clinic, funded by NGOs and individual contributors, offers essential care to a community that often faces major hurdles in accessing healthcare services, particularly in government settings, where costs can be prohibitive.
However Dr Hanis said one of the key challenges refugees face is the language barrier, which makes navigating healthcare systems even more daunting.
To bridge this gap, she said the clinic employs a caseworker who is also a medical doctor, helping refugees with translation, triage, and appointment setting.
"This has been very helpful because she is able to act as both a translator and a facilitator, ensuring that patients are properly understood and guided through the process," Dr Hanis said.
Over the past two years, she said the clinic has seen its outreach grow, now treating around 30 patients weekly. Dr Hanis notes that there is particularly low awareness of contraceptive options among young mothers, many of whom have multiple children by the age of 22.
"I've seen so many 22-year-olds in their third pregnancy, with their first child born when they were around 16.
The clinic’s decision to focus on contraception, antenatal care, HIV treatment, and immunisation stems from their realization of how impactful these services are for the refugee community.
"These are critical services that are both expensive and hard to access for refugees, which is why we have chosen to provide them at our clinic," Dr Hanis said.