News

The Sustainable Reimbursement Drug Policy (SRDP) Flagship 2.0, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) under its Home Medication Review (HMR) Chapter has organised a community engagement programme at four villages involving approximately 1050 villagers in Ulu Tembeling, Jerantut, Pahang from 16th to 18th September 2022. This programme was conducted in conjunction with the World Pharmacist Day 2022, which annually celebrated on 25th September. The theme for this year is "Pharmacy United in action for a healthier world".

            This programme was led by Professor Dr. Che Suraya Mohd Zin, leader of SRDP Flagship and Dr. Norny Syafinaz Ab Rahman as the Programme Director and was co-organised by government and non-government agencies.  The collaborators are Majlis Ugama Islam & Adat Resam Melayu Pahang (MUIP), Jabatan Agama Islam Pahang (JAIP), Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah (PKD) Jerantut, PERKIM Pahang, Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) Pahang, JAKOA Pahang, IIUM Sejahtera Clinic, Malaysian Pharmacist Society (MPS) Pahang Area Committee, Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre (SASMEC) @ IIUM and Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Sat, Jerantut, Pahang.

            The main objective of this programme is to educate the local community on health awareness and the rational use of medications. Various activities were conducted throughout the two days event such as home medication review (HMR) visits, health screening and exhibition, traditional sports, donation giving to asnaf, ziarah mahabbah to Kampung Orang Asli, kenduri/rewang with villagers, demonstration on oral hygiene, application of lice shampoo and administration of deworming medication.

            HMR is a review of a patient's medications in their home or residential care facilities by a pharmacist and other healthcare practitioners to ensure the safe use of medications among patients with chronic diseases. These populations are commonly identified with pharmaceutical care issues such as non-adherence towards medications, polypharmacy, poor health literacy and lack of understanding on the appropriate use of medications. Activities conducted during HMR include medication reconciliation, review, counseling and management. These areas of pharmaceutical care services are important to provide education to patients/caregivers especially on medication usage, storage and disposal. 

            The uniqueness of this program lies on the transdisciplinary approach of conducting the event where each collaborator from diverse background (health and non-health) contributed significantly to those people in needs with the hope to improve their health and well-being which in line with SDG number 3 United Nation. To ensure the sustainability of the programme, the SRDP Flagship is committed to a continuous programme with the community in the future. This collective effort is crucial in the era of convergent in order to give bigger impact to the community.

Note: The programme was featured in Utusan Malaysia dated 21^st September 2022 in Komuniti Kita section: “Kembara Sihat UIAM santuni komuniti Orang Asli”: https://newsroom.iium.edu.my/index.php/2022/09/21/kembara-sihat-uiam-santuni-komuniti-orang-asli/