MAMSA Sarawak Health Camp Jan 2016
After embarking on 3 volunteering trips overseas, we decided that we should also be putting our knowledge and skills to good use right here in our home country!
Hence, on the 4th of January 2016, our members embarked on a volunteering trip together with Impian Sarawak in Kuching, Sarawak.
MAMSA members Sharon, Melanie, Aaron, Ejuen and Selena came together in Kuching International Airport, and were soon greeted by friendly staffs of Impian Sarawak. After a short briefing session, their work began with sorting out boxes after boxes of medications and medical equipment. That night, after a scrumptious seafood feast, they settled in a village house where they will board for the next 2 nights.
Accommodation for the first 2 nights, cosy!
Throughout the next 3 days, our members were chartered from village to village, setting up make shift clinics and packing them up at the end of the day. Their job scope ranged from registration of patients to measuring BMI, BP and blood sugar levels, to sterilizing dental equipment and trying their best (but failing) at taking histories in Malay. They’ve pretty much done it all!
Customary group photo before work starts
Mountains of boxes filled with medication, equipment and dental chairs!
Checking for aortic dissection!
Sterilised?! You can be the judge of that!
Too proud of their handiwork with the dental chairs
Patients waiting patiently (pun indended) for treatment
Very appropriate disposal of medical wastes and sharps
Work in progress…
Ejuen dancing with the villagers
Playing volleyball with the villagers after a long day at work
The 3 days were long and hard, with 7am starts and 9pm finishes, but our members persisted through it all with constant lame jokes and stories, spy games, semi-fresh fruits, hot springs, open-air karaoke, and plenty of deep and meaningful conversations.
Our trip ended on the 8th of January with some sightseeing in Kuching Town! Accompanied by local doctor/ part time tour guide, we walked a total of 12kms across Kuching Town, taking in the incredible sights and sounds of old Kuching Town.
Being touristy in Kuching, cat you not?
Last group photo together with other volunteers and staff of Impian Sarawak
Overall, it was a wonderful and rewarding trip for our members. Blood, sweat and tears have been put into the health camps and it was well worth it! Go Team!
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