malaysiangKUALA LUMPUR, The Indigenous Culture and Arts Foundation (YKOA) will be holding a medical outreach programme in Sarawak’s remote Bario village area as part of its efforts to improve the health and well-being of those communities.
YKOA chairman Dr. Andre Ratos said that the Bario Medical Outreach Programme, consisting of a pediatric programme on Oct 28 and an orthopedic programme on 25 Nov, will address the villagers’ pressing healthcare concerns.
“The Bario villagers have faced challenges due to limited access to medical facilities, resulting in health issues impacting daily lives.
“Our programme offers a unique opportunity to connect with the villagers while assessing their healthcare needs, providing a platform to identify and address serious cases and plan for future medical interventions,” he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, YKOA director, Pearl Masna Ulun, said that the foundation would continue its efforts towards cultural empowerments with such programmes.
“We hope for continued support in making Malaysia an all inclusive nation in bringing access, health and cultural recognition for our indigenous minorities,” she said.
The outreach programme is held in collaboration with Rurum Kelabit Sarawak, BCM Alliance and Innerwheel KLCC, and will be run at the Bario Village Square, Bario Highlands, in Mulu, Sarawak.
The initiative aims to enhance the villagers’ quality of life as they generally have poorer health outcomes and greater mortality than the general population, due to lack of access to healthcare centres, lack of awareness and education.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
