Mobile clinics help UMP staff keen on health

Pekan, 13 July 2020 - Keen on the health of employees, University Health Centre (PKU) organized a Mobile Clinic Program that encourages university staff to check their health status.

Nearly 170 staff were present to undergo a health examination as early as 8.30 am which was held simultaneously at the Tun Abdul Razak Chancellery Banquet Hall, UMP Pekan, and Astaka Hall, UMP Gambang Campus recently.

According to the Director of PKU UMP, Dr. Khairul Salleh Abdul Basit, this program is expected to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and its risk factors among UMP staff that will contribute to the well-being of work and organizational productivity.

"The percentage of healthy staff individuals is in the low-risk group and the percentage of unhealthy staff refers to individuals in the medium and high-risk groups.

"In addition, this method of measuring the risk of non-communicable diseases is based on the collection of basic data for the year 2020 taken through mobile clinic initiative.

"We aim to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and the risk factor by 2021 is by 3 percent," he said.

According to PKU Medical Officer, Dr. Erwina Nursyaheera Sulaiman, this program was held in the hope of facilitating staff in making health checks at work stations without having to attend PKU.

The examination carried out includes the Percentage of Healthy Staff based on Body Mass Index (BMI), Blood Pressure, Fasting Lipid Profile, and Fasting Blood Sugar.

"Most of the staff present have a relatively satisfactory level of health and are not at risk of getting sick.

"However, the majority have a problem with the abnormal Body Mass Index (BMI) and this situation is quite worrying for the long term," she said.

Therefore, she said, early prevention should be implemented to avoid the risk of dangerous diseases such as high blood pressure or heart attack which is the highest cause of death in Malaysia.

She added that PKU intends to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and risk factors among UMP staff in line with UMP Strategic Plan Core 5D - Human Resource Wellbeing.

"I hope that the staff present take seriously the advice that has been given and if they are unwell continue to seek immediate treatment at PKU or a nearby health clinic," she said.

Administrative Assistant at the Center for Industry & Community Networking (ICoN), Rozianawati Haji Mohd Isa said, this health examination should be implemented as the age factor is not the cause of a disease.

"In addition, this examination is seen to ensure that staff are in good health and know the condition of their body.

"Awareness of the importance of health care and a healthy lifestyle should be given important emphasis and publicity on risky diseases should be done as a guide to all staff," she said.

By: Siti Nurfarmy Ibrahim, Public Relations and Media Unit, Office of The Vice-Chancellor

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, Faculty of Computing