GUA MUSANG: While most of the nation has easy access to healthcare in clinics and hospitals, the Orang Asli community in remote interiors faces challenges due to their vast distances from urban centres.
However, amidst these limitations, a ray of hope shines as the Orang Asli Mobile Team (PBOA) valiantly ventures into the wilderness in its commitment to bridging the healthcare gap and providing crucial services to those living in the heart of the jungle.
Dr. Muhammad Aiman Aziz, a 30-year-old medical officer with the Gua Musang District Health Office's PBOA, emphasised the difficulties of navigating long distances, traversing uneven plantation and logging roads, and enduring unpredictable weather conditions, to remain dedicated to their mission.
"Our mobile clinic offers essential healthcare services to the Orang Asli community, such as diabetes screenings, blood pressure checks, prenatal examinations, newborn check-ups, and outpatient treatment.
"Every trip into the interiors includes carrying medical supplies, vaccines, equipment, and treatment cards," he said during a recent meeting at the Temiar Orang Asli settlement in Pos Hau.
Dr. Muhammad Aiman explained that there are seven Orang Asli settlements in the district.
Four, including Pos Hau, Pos Gob, Pos Belatim, and Pos Pasik, are under the jurisdiction of the Gua Musang district health office PBOA, while, Pos Balar, Pos Simpor, and Pos Bihai are managed by support teams from the Tanah Merah, Bachok, and Machang offices.
"Every week, the Gua Musang PBOA unit, comprising one medical and two assistant medical officers, four nurses, one healthcare assistant, one pharmacist, and three drivers, travels to an Orang Asli settlement," said Dr. Muhammad Aiman.
"Each mobile clinic operation could last for four days and three nights, or even five days and four nights. Unfavourable weather conditions may require them to extend their stay in the wilderness," he added.
Despite the challenges, the PBOA team forgets their exhaustion in the presence of the eager Orang Asli community who always anticipate their arrival.
Dr. Muhammad Aiman highlighted that the Gua Musang PBOA is the largest healthcare service unit for Orang Asli in the country with a 24-member team.
Upon entering the remote areas, mobile clinics are set up in two to three villages each day based on the community's needs and if required, they also see patients at night, he said, adding that he has gained unique experiences over the past three years with the team.
Initially uncertain of the unit's role, he has come to understand the vital work of mobile healthcare teams reaching remote areas, even venturing out at night to treat Orang Asli severely injured by tiger attacks.
As for PBOA nurse Siti Nuraisyah Mohd Asri, 32, who hails from Kuala Krai - Tony Jaa, Nek Bintang, Latifah, and Manja - are just a few names etched in her memory.
The dedicated nurse not only recalls names but can also identify patients who require treatment but might be absent when the PBOA unit provides healthcare services in the interior Orang Asli villages.
"As a nurse, we are trained to remember the names of our patients, as we take care of an entire family in what is known as 'personal care'," says Siti Nuraisyah, who served at the Bangi Health Clinic for 11 years before transferring to the Gua Musang PBOA in 2022.—– Bernama
Keywords: PBOA, Orang Asli Mobile Team, Orang Asli, mobile clinic, medical officer, team, healthcare, interior