Madani Afiat strives to improve community health

GOMBAK - The Madani Afiat initiative is seen as a serious move by the government to improve the health of the Malaysian population through various prevention and community service initiatives.

Adnan Mohd Yatim, 75, who received a free health check-up at his home, said the programme had enabled him and his wife Samsiah Mohamad, 71, to be examined by trained health workers.

Suffering from neuropathic ulcers on his heel, Adnan said the lack of mobility made it difficult for him to go to the health centre, so today's programme was a huge relief to him.

"For me, it is good because it makes it easier and it can help people who are unemployed and old like me... I think the Health Ministry (MOH) should have programmes like this more often to reach out to more people," he told reporters when met at his house near Dewan Rakyat Batu Caves after the launch of the Madani Afiat programme by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

Earlier, Adnan also received a visit from Dr Zaliha and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari during a door-to-door health screening session conducted by 150 nurses in the surrounding areas.

Today’s event also included the ‘Mega Perangi Aedes 1.0’ gotong-royong and the One Hour Malaysia Clean-Up programme, with booths set up to promote preventive health care.

Muhammad Mirza Kamil, 24, who participated in the e-sports programme also held today, said the organisation of Madani Afiat was in line with the government's efforts to educate people on the importance of taking of one’s health as well as to generate interest among the younger generation to participate in the programme.

A nurse, Masnah Abdul Sali, 31, said the programme was well accepted by the community, and most were all smiles when she and her colleagues went to their houses for conducting health check-ups such as blood pressure and sugar level tests.

"During the walkabout, even some of those who had never had a health check-up were interested in getting a free check-up... this is a good thing, especially for the elderly who are not able to go to the clinic to get a proper health check-up," she said.

For 25-year-old nurse trainee Alysa Radhiah Mohd Asri from MOH’s Sultan Azlan Shah Training Institute in Perak, taking part in the programme was a good opportunity to prepare herself for her career.

She added that the experience of conducting door-to-door health check-ups enabled her to apply the skills, training and practise she had learnt, as well as improve her communication skills. - BERNAMA