Group A:Day 10 Kuala Muda

The day started with a lecture on the scope of services provided by the Primary Healthcare unit by Encik Yusof, who is a long- serving Medical Asisstant with 27 years of experience. He was very passionate about the significance of Primary Healthcare and emphasized much on the definition and impact of Primary healthcare on the community.

Primary Healthcare is essential health care which is based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology and should be made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community. It forms an integral part of the country’s health system and has a central function in the social and economic development of the community.

Primary health care becomes the first level of contact for individuals, the family and the community with the national health system, bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work and constitutes the first element of a continuing health care process.

Another unexpected incident that happen that day was Encik Yusof became the 1^st person in the district to give us a treat in the hospital canteen. Everyone had some light moment after the lecture.

Thus, in Kuala Muda District alone, there are 6 Klinik Kesihatan, 1 Klinik Kesihatan Bandar in Sungai Petani. Specific clinics such as Chronic Diseases Clinic which cater for patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension etc. and Mental Health Clinic are also available within the Klinik Kesihatan. Another branch in Primary Healthcare which is rising in importance is the “Expanded Scope of Healthcare”, which includes Adolescent health, Geriatric health and a Quit Smoking Clinic.

Later in the day, we visited a secondary school (SM Sg. Layar). A group of staff nurses and Jururawat Masyarakat were already there to organize an Tetanus immunization session for Form 3 students. When we went there, we were asked to help out in physical examination of the students. It was quite overwhelming to see never- ending batches of students streaming into the room. Nevertheless, we were able to start organizing ourselves to perform physical examination and giving the ATT injections in an orderly manner.

In the afternoon, after a very late lunch at 3pm, we went to the out- patient department at Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Sg. Petani to collect some health clinic cards, forms and to observe the running of the OPD.