Kuching, 29 February 2025 – Last Sunday, February 23, 2025, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UNIMAS, participated in a health screening programme at Kampung Chawan Pendam, Kuching.
The event, called Chawan Healthcare Day, was organized by a five-member MyCorps volunteer team, one of four teams assigned to Sabah and Sarawak to carry out humanitarian projects in selected communities. Team Kuching – Anith, Thayananth, Farhana, Zulaikha and Ikrom – a group of vibrant, bold and proactive youth, flew all the way from the west, eager to lend a hand, and experience something truly different.
The other MyCorps volunteer teams were deployed to Miri, Kota Kinabalu, and Semporna, respectively. The four teams, consisting of 20 youth volunteers, were selected from 300 applicants nationwide just a month ago and underwent intensive training before arriving at their mission sites on 6 February.
MyCorps was inspired by and modeled after the U.S. Peace Corps, which was established in the 1960s during the presidency of John F. Kennedy. MyCorps is an international youth volunteering programme under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Malaysia (KBS). They aim to provide Malaysian youths the chance to engage in community projects that positively impact society.
The current mission is codenamed MyCorps Mission 9 @ Borneo.
Various activities were planned throughout their stay in Kampung Chawan, including the construction of a new learning hub in the village and an entrepreneurship programme for the womenfolk.
Besides the health screening, Chawan Healthcare Day also includes activities such as health talks, health exhibitions, and a first aid workshop in collaboration with the Kuching Division Health Office and Tanah Puteh Health Clinic. The health talk, led by Encik Felix, an experienced senior assistant medical officer, was engaging as it was held in a relaxed, chit-chatty manner with topics covering cardiovascular diseases, dengue infection, and the rabies menace affecting Kuching currently.
The children were not left out, as volunteers organized health-themed games to engage them. This ensured the inclusivity of the whole programme, where children are not left out in our quest for a healthy Sarawak.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences team contributed to the measurement of body composition, blood pressure reading, random blood glucose, and cholesterol testing. Consultations were provided by 4 medical doctors from the faculty, including Dr. Ahmad Imran Mohamad, a Master in Public Health (MPH) student.
The health screening and consultation were held in what looked like a car park shed, with corrugated zinc roofs, easily transmitting the afternoon sun heat to those under it. The space was shared with around 50 attending villagers and 20 volunteers. From a distance, the rumbling of the diesel generator could be heard as it provided electricity to the PA system and the speakers. Despite the minor shortcomings, all the volunteers were happy to contribute to the event.
A total of 31 clients, mainly women, attended the health screening. While a majority of them were already on treatment for hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels, some of them struggled to manage their health. Approximately 30% of them were unaware of their health status and upon screening for the first time, were found to have high random blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. Subsequently, they were advised and referred to the nearest health clinic to better assess their health parameters.From this event, the health literacy of these villagers emerged as a key concern too. A few clients were guided again on the dosing of their medication and to be compliant with the schedule for better effect of the medication.
Kampung Chawan is an urban village consisting mainly of Iban and Bidayuh families who migrated from upcountry in search of better opportunities in the city. Many Kuchingites are familiar with Chawan Road, but not many are aware of the existence of Kg Chawan, which shares the same land plot with a cemetery while surrounded by modern housing areas. The village is also located a few hundred metres away from one of Kuching’s leading megamalls. Many residents in Kg Chawan face urban poverty and lack access to quality jobs and essential services. Just last year, an engineering firm carried out their social responsibility programmes by fitting each household with new poly pipes and water taps, allowing the 300 villagers to enjoy a clean water supply.
Reflecting on the four-hour experience that Sunday afternoon, the work in Kg Chawan was a unique experience for many faculty volunteers. Despite their familiarity with working in rural villages in Sarawak, the experience of serving a “village” amid a bustling growing city was new and eye-opening. The initiative may seem small in scale, but to the villagers, the heartfelt “thank yous” expressed their deep gratitude for the presence of MyCorps and its collaborators. As the MyCorps Mission @ Borneo continues its sojourn elsewhere, let us hope that such outreach efforts will inspire more organisations to contribute towards the well-being of underserved communities throughout Sarawak. HH
The faculty extends its gratitude to the dedicated individuals who made this initiative possible: Whilemena Upam, Alexander Timothy, Norliza bt Samsuri, Badrul Hisham bin Pathi, Norhadzline bt Harun, Felicia Vanoosten, Prof Madya Dr Sam Froze Jiee, Dr Lim Siong Hee, Dr Ahmad Imran Mohamad, and Prof Madya Dr Helmy Hazmi. Their time and effort in making the 4-hour Sunday afternoon in Kampung Chawan a success will not be forgotten.
