Fatimah (centre) touring the exhibition booth. — Photos by Chimon Upon
Fatimah (centre, back row) and other guests having a group photo with the winners.
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak is set to produce many doctors judging by the interest shown by students in the Young Doctor programme.
“Sarawak has 3,184 young ‘doctors’ (or club members) in 121 schools according to statistics reported in 2014. That (the 121 schools) is 9.6 per cent of the total 1,265 primary schools in the state,” said Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.
According to 2014 statistics, Malaysia has 52,253 young doctor club members from Primary Three to Six in 2,010 schools, she said.
Fatimah was speaking at the closing ceremony of the
sixth state-level Young Doctor Club (YDC) Convention in Kota Samarahan Civic Centre yesterday.
Started in 1989 in Pahang, the Young Doctor programme has been recognised as a co-curricular activity since 2006.
She encouraged pupils to join the club, where they can also gain health-related knowledge and skills beneficial to them.
“Children today are tomorrow’s human capital of our nation. If the people suffer from health problems, much resources and money will be needed to tackle the health issues,” she said.
She said the programme was practical and useful for pupils to learn and cultivate healthy habits at a young age.
Later Fatimah gave away prizes to winners of competitions held during the convention from May 9 to 11 in UiTM campus here.
Some 300 young doctor club members, teachers and organisers from 11 divisions across the state attended the convention. Winners will be representing Sarawak in the national-level convention in Selangor in August.
The convention was a joint collaboration of Health Department and Education Department.
Mukah Division emerged as the overall champion.
State Health Department director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan was among those present.