Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), through its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), recently organised the "Little Medic" Infectious Disease Prevention Programme to promote health literacy among primary school pupils while fostering early interest in the fields of medicine and health sciences.
Implemented under the Ministry of Higher Education's Service Learning Malaysia – University for Society (SULAM) initiative, the programme was held in collaboration with the Likas State Assemblyman's Service Centre.
Held from 24 to 26 June, the three day programme involved Year Six pupils from four Chinese primary schools, SJK(C) St Peter Telipok, SJK(C) Good Shepherd Menggatal, SJK(C) Yick Nam Inanam and SJK(C) Lok Yuk Likas.
Programme Coordinator, Ts. Dr. Sylvia Daim, said the initiative served as a community based learning platform that enabled UMS medical students to apply their academic knowledge while delivering health education directly to the community.
She explained that the "Little Medic" module was developed as the capstone project for first year medical students under the MM10506 Disease module, prior to the implementation of the revised medical curriculum in September this year.
"The programme adopts an interactive and age appropriate approach to help pupils better understand common infectious diseases and the importance of preventive healthcare practices.
"The module focuses on diseases commonly encountered in schools and within Sabah's tropical environment, including influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), dengue fever, food poisoning and conjunctivitis.
"Beyond promoting health awareness, the programme also introduces pupils to the medical and health sciences professions, with the hope of inspiring them to pursue careers in healthcare in the future," she added.
Sylvia also acknowledged the support of the Likas State Assemblyman's Service Centre, led by Likas State Assemblyman Tham Yun Fook, for coordinating the programme with the Sabah State Education Department, the District Education Office and the participating schools.
Meanwhile, Tham said that educating children on disease prevention from an early age is essential in nurturing a generation that is more health-conscious and better equipped to practise healthy lifestyles.
"We hope the pupils will share the knowledge they have gained with their families and friends, becoming young advocates for healthy living within their communities.
"We will continue to support community-oriented initiatives that benefit the public through strategic collaborations with higher education institutions," he said.
The programme also provided UMS Doctor of Medicine students with valuable opportunities to apply their classroom learning in real community settings, in line with SULAM's objective of integrating academic learning with meaningful community engagement.
