'Smile M'sia': Free medical, dental screening
Published on: Saturday, February 04, 2017
BUTTERWORTH: A group of students mostly from Penang International Dental College (PIDC) and iM4U (1Malaysia For Youth) have formed a non-governmental Organisation to serve the underprivileged community.'Smile Malaysia', established only last year, mainly aimed to accord free medical and dental screening for the target group.Its president, R. Jeevarajah said the objective of Smile Malaysia was not only to provide free screening but also to attract more youth and private organisations to participate in its outreach programme.
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"We hope to achieve this by encouraging youth medical and dental professionals to innovate and provide affordable solutions for healthcare. "Our current project is aimed at encouraging youth medical and dental professionals to volunteer and help people who are in need," he told Bernama during an outreach programme in Kampung Perlis, here. He said the organisation also encouraged universities and the private sector to participate in the programme to ensure healthcare accessibility to the needy."This project also provides an opportunity for students to learn the problems faced by the society and give back positively...it also provides an avenue for people to receive treatment," he said.
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Jeevarajah said the programme was launched in Penang where student volunteers from PIDC conduct dental screening camps under supervision by dental specialists."Selected patients are then brought to our treatment partner PIDC where Smile Malaysia in collaboration with iM4U subsidises treatment for them," he said.
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He added that the group aimed to treat 300 patients and screen 1,000 people in Penang during the outreach programme this year. Meanwhile, Kampung Perlis resident, Ahmad Malkan Mohd Sohor, 80, said he had not had any dental screening for over 50 years due to the cost and time constraints."Most of the villagers here are aged and physically challenged to go to clinic for check up. Today I'm very grateful to Smile Malaysia and the federal government for the free dental screening programme in our village."It allows us to have the opportunity to check the condition our teeth," he said, adding, the programme should be continued for more people to benefit.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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