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Towards better healthcare access

Towards better healthcare access

The Star21-05-2025

Ministry, private hospital join hands to bring services to 12 villages in Kampar
UTAR Hospital is collaborating with Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) in Perak to carry out the 'Kampungku' programme.
The initiative is aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility and promoting preventive health awareness among communities in rural and underserved areas.
The hospital's management team is in a discussion with the heads of new villages to finalise the programme.
'Kampungku' is an initiative to enhance the well-being of residents in new villages and improve their quality of life.
The initiative, expected to commence this month, offers health screening services such as blood tests and specialist consultations to 12 selected villages in the Kampar area, including Malim Mawar, Chenderiang, Bidor and Tapah.
The programme will also include services from UTAR Hospital's Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Centre, incorporating traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, tui na (massage) and gua sha (scrapping).
The collaboration, consisting of a series of educational talks and community outreach activities, seeks to promote not only the importance of regular health screenings but also healthy lifestyles and emergency preparedness.
UTAR Hospital chief executive officer and medical director Datuk Dr Ding Lay Ming said: 'Continuous healthcare education is crucial to raise awareness of preventive measures among the community.'
UTAR Hospital operation and business development director Abang Russaini Abang Zainal Abidin said, 'As the first private specialist hospital in Kampar, UTAR Hospital is uniquely and strategically positioned to extend not only healthcare and medical services but also healthcare awareness to surrounding areas, including the broader northern Perak region.
'This initiative reflects our core mission of 'Enriching and Caring for the Community'.'
In a media statement, the officials said the collaboration between the ministry and UTAR Hospital marked a significant milestone not only in expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare for rural communities, but also in demonstrating a shared commitment to the health and welfare of underserved populations.
'This collaboration also marks a promising and potential step toward future public-private collaborations, where private healthcare institutions can play a key role in supporting efforts to deliver affordable and quality healthcare services to the community,' the statement added.

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