KUCHING: Some 150 parents and teachers participated in a health screening programme during SMK Tun Abang Haji Openg’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) annual general meeting at the school, yesterday.
Many services were offered free during the programme such as diabetes screening, blood pressure reading, Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement, eye screening (long-sightedness) with free reading glasses, visual acuity (vision test), intra ocular pressure, diabetic retinopathy screening, mammogram screening upon appointment, HPV DNA test for cervical cancer (for women) and HPV vaccination programme.
The programme also provided paid package services. The first package worth RM10 included blood pressure examination, BMI examination, cholesterol blood test and glucose blood test.
The second package worth RM25 had two extra services which are pap smear test and breast clinical examination. Meanwhile, RM75 is charged for a full blood test.
According to the District 308-A2 Region 1 Lions Clubs zone chairwoman Lim Pek Choo who is also a teacher, out of 94 people who came for eye screening, six were told to refer to an eye clinic for cataract, pterygium and diabetic retinopathy.
“There are three students that came for retraction this morning and they are short-sighted, therefore we intend to make spectacles for them free-of-charge,” Lim told the New Sarawak Tribune.
At the same time, a total of 66 reading glasses were given away to participants for free.
The Diabetes Malaysia Sarawak Branch reported that 100 individuals participated in diabetes screening while the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) reported that 30 individuals participated in their free health screening.
Meanwhile, 20 individuals participated in HPV DNA test with 15 paid for package services and 15 registered for subsidised mammogram screening.
The school principal Affida Helmi said the event was organised to appreciate the parents.
“The parents have been very helpful towards the development of the school and in appreciation, the PTA decided to take the opportunity to provide this programme for them,” she said.
According to Affida, the PTA wanted to reciprocate the parents for their support.
“Instead of just focusing on programmes for the students, we want to show that the parents are not forgotten in the process. We knew how important the role that they play and we are very appreciative of them,” she added.
“That’s why we came with this idea to provide an opportunity to get free health screening as well as to encourage other parents to be present at PTA programmes,” she continued.
The health screening programme was conducted by SMK Tun Abang Haji Openg’s PTA in collaboration with the Region 1 Lions Clubs and LPPKN.
The Lions consist of 13 Lions clubs from Region 1 (Kuching and Serian) working together with volunteers from Diabetes Malaysia Sarawak Branch and Ophthalmology Clinic, Sarawak General Hospital to carry out health screening including diabetes and vision screening.
The programme started from 10am until 2pm.
Among those present were PTA chairman Jasni Jubli, LPPKN director Dennis Chai Cheng Ho, Region 1 Lions Clubs former district governor (308-A2) Sim Boon Chuan, and zone chairwoman Lim Pek Choo.
