Health Services Road Show At MOD
By James Kon

Bandar Seri Begawan - A two-day road show on accident and emergency unit and health service centres is currently held at the Ministry of Development.

Organised by the Ministries of Health and Development, the main objective of the event was to reduce the number of minor cases at the accident and emergency unit to pave way for more serious cases.

Yesterday morning saw hundreds of personnel from various departments under the Ministry of Development at the road show, and among them Deputy Minister of Development Dato Dr Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein.

Meanwhile, Director of Health Services Dr Hajah Kalsom binti Haji Abd Latif, in her opening remarks, highlighted that the majority of patients treated at the accident and emergency centre were minor cases, which could be treated by other health service centres.

She also elaborated on some of the functions and advantages of health service centres in treating outpatients.

Capping off the speech, she hoped personnel in attendance would assist the hospital's blood bank by participating in the blood donation drive which will take place today at the Ministry of Development;

Participants at yesterday's event also attended two talks delivered by medical officials - Dr Haji Kartono and Dr Zulhilmi POKHP DP Haji Abdullah - from the Ministry of Health.

Dr Haji Kartono, a medical officer of the accident and emergency division, RIPAS Hospital, said some 75,983 people sought treatments at the accident and emergency services in 2004, of which 60,608 were non-urgent cases, while 512 were urgent and 14,863, semi-serious.

The rest were review cases. He added that the number of patients looking for treatment at the accident and emergency unit has been on the rise since 1996.

He also said in 1996, there were 38,934 patients who received treatment at the accident and emergency unit, while the year 2000 saw the figure rise to 52,972, and 60,106 in 2002 and 67,397 in 2003.

According to Dr Haji Kartono, the mission of the accident and emergency unit is to provide round the clock services to patients in critical conditions. However, more time was spent on non-serious cases.

He also said non-urgent cases could seek effective treatment at health service centres, adding that Ong Sum Ping clinic offers after-working hours services, from 6 pm to 9 pm, while on public holidays and weekends, 2 pm to 9 pm.

Meanwhile, Dr Zulhilmi POKHP DP Haji Abdullah, the acting senior medical officer at the Tutong Health Centre, - said that local outpatient services are of high quality as the doctors possess vast knowledge on basic health care.

He also said that among the services provided by health centres across the country are early check-ups, light treatments, dispensary of medicine, blood tests, and promotion of health. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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