BRIDGING THE GAP: USM EMPOWERS THE ORANG ASLI COMMUNITY OF POS PASIK WITH BASIC MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

Pos Pasik, an indigenous village in Gua Musang, is about 36 kilometers from the main road, making access to healthcare challenging for its residents. Many villagers are left vulnerable in medical emergencies as a result.

In an innovative initiative, Associate Professor Dr. Shaik Farid Abdull Wahab, Project Director for the USM Well-being Centre at Pos Pasik, and his team from the USM Health Campus set out to empower the local community with basic medical knowledge. Their goal was to train indigenous volunteers as health representatives through a knowledge transfer program aimed at improving healthcare quality.

The eight-month project consisted of three phases: a Health Awareness Survey, Training of Trainers (ToT), and Outcome Evaluation, along with sub-projects focusing on developing volunteer skills, enhancing oral health, and improving healthcare standards. A total of 65 participants from USM Health Campus contributed to this effort.

During the ToT sessions at USM Hospital, volunteers learned essential skills to become community health trainers. The subsequent evaluation phase focused on assessing the effectiveness of the training provided.

This initiative intends to create lasting change by equipping the community with vital skills to manage immediate medical situations, such as wound care, CPR, fracture treatment, and choking emergencies, while awaiting specialized help. USM's efforts represent a significant step in bridging the healthcare gap and fostering sustainability in one of Malaysia’s most remote communities.

SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 10, SDG 17