Outreach Programme gets boost ahead of Pulau Bruit trip

KUCHING: The Communi t y Outreach Programme, a project of Kuching Specialist Hospital (KcSH), received a big boost yesterday when several corporate bodies and an individual came with sponsorship.

Naim Cendera Holdings Berhad came with RM20,000 while Shell Timur came up with 600 litres of diesel to supplement logistic expenses for the express and long boats used during the trip, this time to Pulau Bruit in Sarikei Division from 3 to 5 December.

Businessman Chai Tze Khi n donated RM3,000 for the purchase of medicines.

On hand to present the items to Ngeng Eng Chieng a Director of KcSH at the hospital in Tabuan Stutong here yesterday were Naim Holding Berhad’s Senior Director of Corporate Services and Human Resources Ricky Kho, Shell Timur Bhd’s Retail Regional Manager Robert Choo and Chai himself.

This outreach programme is expected to be participated by 45 volunteers, which include an eye specialist, child specialist, medical officers, dentists, nurses from KcSH, Health Department and private clinics and individuals.

During their three-day stay on the island, the team will be stationed at Kampung Bruit, Kampung Tekajong and Kampung Penipah and the surrounding areas, where they will be involved in community services such as dispensing simple medicine, free health screening and counselling.

OTHER partners in the outreach programme such as the National Registration De p a r tme n t , Huma n Resource Depar tment , Ministry of Agriculture, Sarawak Skills Development Centre and other government agencies have their respective plan to assist the local people including registration of MyKad and birth certificates by the National Registration Department (NRD).

The Health Department has meanwhile identified several families with malnutrition problems which would be presented with food baskets.

Ngeng, who is also a Director of Usaha Cendera Sdn Bhd, said this tr ip would be the first community outreach programmme to Pulau Bruit organised by KcSH.

The trip, he added, was suggested by the Chief Minister and KcSH had enl isted the help f rom Mini s t e r in the Chi e f Minister Department Datin Fatimah Abdullah.

KcSH has since 2009 provided various medical screening and counselling sessions to people in remote areas in Sarawak including one to Long Pelutan in Upper Baram in October last year and Long Luteng also in Upper Baram in March this year.

Pulau Bruit, which has population of about 6,000 people, is the second largest island in Malaysia, after Langkawi. It can be reached by speedboat after three to four-hour journey from Sibu.

The express boat fare from Sibu to Pulau Bruit is RM20-RM25 per person.

Source: Tribune Online