NMSC Mobile Blood Donor Team and Rotary Clubs combine for Rural Health Screening Project

The Normah Medical Specialist Centre Blood Bank mobile team and the Rorary Clubs of Kuching and Petra Jaya, after long weeks of preparation, successfully brought quality health care to the heart of the Simunjan rural community on 25 May, 2003. NMSC Medical Assistants (MA) from the A & E Department accompanied the mobile team and provided support during the event. This event was graciously officiated by YB Richard Riot. Member of the PEMADAM Daerah Simunjan together with the community leader, Penghulu Augustine Ningkan helped us tremendously to ensure the success of this project. Penghulu Augustine very kindly provided tents and fans to ensure we were comfortable enough to carry out our duties as well as supplied us generous servings of food and beverages to sustain the day. The concern and support were very much appreciated.

Team members from laboratory department were Kamariah Mazelan Zainuddin, Obeng, Nurashima Abdullah, Francis Atoi, Leonard William, Johnicle Nyowit, Mazelan Zainuddin, Gemma Fong, Tang Lee Ping and Lilburn Tipton. Moreover, from A&E department were Zabba Bin Hassan and James Grumi Ak Jaun. This is the first time we worked together in a rural setting. We have, thus, successfully introduced a new element of healthcare, reaching out to rural community, to prevent disease and to detect disease early so as to prevent complications.

The team received an overwhelming response from the Simunjan Community despite the warm and sunny weather. The total of health screening participants was 150, aged from late teens to early eighties. With the sponsorship of Roche Diagnostics, the team were able to offer laboratory tests that included urinalysis, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride level and blood pressure checks. There were fourteen voluntary blood donors and they were all given free infectious disease testing in addition to the screening package.

Written reports were also given to all participants to allow them to consult their doctors, if necessary.

	The whole event was exciting and a most rewarding experience for all of us. We believe our efforts together was much appreciated by the local folks there. It was a Sunday well spent together with the Simunjan community.
	Tang Lee Ping, Senior MLT Gemma Fong Kah Yi, Transfusion Medicine Lead MLT

Continuous Improvement Practices Continue with Guidance from Mayo Clinic Consultants
The NMSC Continuous Improvement Practices continue with emphasis on updating the Institutional Policies and Procedures to meet the most current requirements for advanced regulatory and credentialing agency guidelines. All these efforts are components of the drive to stay current with the Sarawak International Medical Centre. This month, numerous members of the Mayo Clinics International Consulting team will be at Normah to lend first hand advice and direct guidance to the process of documentation preparation. These Policy and Procedure documents form foundation for quality practices and consistent patient outcomes.

Editor