Expansion of Young Doctor’s Club in Sarawak schools

MIRI: Sarawak has made significant strides in promoting health education among students through the establishment of the Young Doctor’s Club in schools.

As of June 2024, 223 primary schools and 85 secondary schools statewide have integrated this initiative into their co-curricular activities.

The effort has seen the active involvement of 1,202 primary school students and 147 secondary school students, all appointed and trained as members of the Young Doctor’s Club.

Deputy Minister for Health Malaysia Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni stressed the importance of providing opportunities for these young doctors to conduct health education activities for their peers.

Speaking at the Meet & Greet HePiLI with Didi & Friends event at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Temenggong Datuk Muip in Miri on Tuesday, Lukanisman highlighted the need for schools to allow Young Doctor’s Club members to deliver health messages during school assemblies, before classes, during recess, and in foster classes.

The initiative extends beyond primary and secondary schools.

In Miri alone, 46 primary schools and 16 secondary schools have adopted the programme.

Furthermore, 213 Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools, 507 Community Development Department (KEMAS) preschools, and 64 Tabika Perpaduan Kindergartens in Sarawak are also implementing the Young Doctors Club programme.

At the event, Lukanisman presented a cheque for RM100,000 to SK Temenggong Datuk Muip, Miri, as part of his ‘Projek Mesra Rakyat’ (PMR) Sibuti Parliamentary initiative.

He expressed optimism about the programme’s growth, citing the continuous support from the Sarawak Education Department and the Miri Education Office as crucial for its success.

On the other note, the HePiLI Meet & Greet session with Didi & Friends is a key activity under the Kembara Sehat Sejahtera HePiLI program, running from November 2023 to 2025.

Sarawak is the third destination of this initiative, following Selangor and Kedah.

The session aims to combine education and entertainment (edutainment) to deliver health messages to primary school children.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has partnered with the popular children’s animation, Didi & Friends, to make health information more accessible and engaging for young audiences.

This collaboration marks a creative approach in conveying health education to children, leveraging the beloved characters of Didi & Friends to foster a culture of healthy living among the younger generation.