MIRI: A total of 65 volunteers including 27 doctors and nurses will take part in the rural community medical service project targeting 1,000 Penans in and around Bukit Kana Community area in Tatau from December 10 to 12.
The project is organised by New Century Lions Club of Miri Resort City, (District 308-A) and Leo Clubs in Miri while the doctors and nurses are volunteers from Bintulu Hospital and Polyclinic.
Organising chairman president Ronny Ling said the project is meant for Penans from seven longhouses in Ulu Batang Anap in Tatau District.
“We will also enlist the help of Bukit Kana (Forest) Management area in disseminating information about the programme and transporting the rural folks from several nearby longhouses to obtain free medical services at Bukit Kana community area,” Ling told reporters here yesterday.
He said they would also work closely with Tatau District Office to carry out the project which is sponsored by Halliburton, International Optical CO, UMW JDC Drilling Sdn Bhd and Scorpion Offshore Malaysia Sdn Bhd.
He thanked the sponsors and volunteers including officials from Tatau District Office for assisting in the programme.
Among the services to be provided are eye screening and prescribing free eye wear; general health screening and treatment for the sick; dental treatment, extraction and filling; hair cutting and delousing; educational and general hygiene workshops; and pap smear test for ladies.
“Arrangements will also be done to bring patients to Bintulu Hospital especially those urgently needing further medical treatment such as operation.” said Ling.
As such he urged the Penans and other communities in the area to take advantage of the programme, which was aimed at enhancing their quality of life.
Among those present at the press conference were first vice president and dental manager Keith Chin, who is also the publicity officer and vice organising chairman Harry Lee.
Bukit Kana is located within the forest reserve of Anap Sustainable Development Unit (ASDU) which covers approximately 116,000 hectares of Ulu Anap landscape and includes major land use components of ‘High Conservation Value Forests’ (Bukit Kana Management Area) for community forest management of biodiversity conservation, enterprise development and eco-tourism.