With two MAs at every National Service training camp, trainees’ health will be better taken care of
Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe
KUCHING: All 79 National Service Training Centres (PLKN) throughout the nation would have at least two full-time medical assistants (MA) each.
Throughout the years, complaints regarding inadequate medical personnel at PLKN camps throughout the nation had become a big issue and it is hoped that the deployment
of MAs on a permanent employment basis by National Service Training Department (JLKN) would ensure that the problem would be a thing of the past.
National Service Training Council (MLKN) chairman Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe told a press conference this after the sending-off ceremony of about 570 trainees to their respective camps in Selangor and Negri Sembilan at the civic centre here yesterday.
“On the health aspect, our big improvement this year is the acquisition of permanent staff to be employed full time by JLKN.
“JLKN will monitor the situation and the need for MAs in all the 79 PLKN camps nationwide and we are targeting at least two medical personnel per camp,” he said.
Saying that JLKN would try to get more full time MAs for every camp, Dr Tiki who is also Mas Gading MP, however stated that previously JLKN did not have any control over medical personnel assigned to its camps.
As a result, cases of such medical officers taking leave as they wished especially during National Service Training stints occurred for which the PLKN management could not do anything, resulting in some centres experiencing difficulties due to the shortage, he added.
“Now that the medical personnel are directly under JLKN, it would be easier to co-ordinate our officers to ensure sufficient staff,” he continued, saying that JLKN was targeting to provide at least two senior MAs on duty at any time per camp and that these officers would be assisted by a further four to five medical personnel from the Army Medical Corps.
He also mentioned that medical officers from the Health Department would do routine checks at the camps.
“We hope to get more permanent staff but at the moment we have to be patient as the Health Ministry itself is tackling the shortage of MAs. One camp has the capacity of 500 but we would only place a maximum of about 400-450 trainees at any one time as this is considered a manageable number,” he said.
On another matter, Dr Tiki advised female students missing their menstrual periods or suspecting themselves to be pregnant to go for medical check-ups for confirmation to avoid cases of miscarriages or delivery in camps during their three-month training stint.
“Previously, there were cases of pregnant girls called up for National Service Training. These trainees joined in the training modules and miscarriage happened. There are cases of pregnant trainees who gave birth in camps. We have to take precaution on the matter as some of the families put their blame on JLKN. We would like to reduce the cases significantly, if possible by 100 per cent. We do not want this matter to happen again,” he reiterated.
Saying that the matter persisted as some trainees who found out that they were pregnant were too afraid to notify their parents or PLKN personnel or their trainers, he however disclosed that JLKN had decided not to make it mandatory for female trainees to undergo pregnancy tests to avoid violation of individual rights.
“It is not fair to force the girls to go for pregnancy test. It would affect the individual and their parents mentally. We can only advise the girls who feel that they missed their period to go for test on their own,” he clarified.
On those detected to be pregnant, Dr Tiki stressed that they would be excused from training and would be sent home immediately.
After giving birth and if they are found to be in good health JLKN would recall them if they opt to resume training, he explained, adding that cases of miscarriages and trainees giving birth in camps were very minimal.