PENANG, 19 January 2016 - 40 students of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) currently undergoing the USM-Karnataka Lingayat Education (KLE) International Medical Programme (IMP) in India participated in the polio vaccination programme to thousands of people in India throughout the vicinity of Belgaum, India recently.

The USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman welcomed this effort and considered it as a meaningful exposure for the USM students to be directly involved in providing services to marginalised communities in a foreign country.

“This effort highlighted the fact that students from USM are willing to share their knowledge with communities anywhere throughout the world,” said Omar.

He stated that, this effort would affirm USM as a global university, which empowered its students to engage in activities that benefit the society wherever they may be.

 

“I am really proud with the involvement of students in the community-based activity by providing polio vaccines at public venues such as bus stops, housing estates and community halls, even though it was not done in their home country,” said Omar, who truly welcomed such a programme which he hoped will be continued in the future.

According to the Deputy Dean (USM-KLE), USM School of Medical Sciences, Professor Dr. Kamaruddin Jaalam, the involvement of students in a programme such as this provides them an opportunity to assist the local people in India, who are mostly poor and could not afford to obtain the vaccine.

“This programme was started early this year by medical practitioners all over India in support of the ‘Pulse Polio Day’ programme,” said Kamaruddin, who was also involved at the location together with other lecturers from the Department of Family Medicine.

“Alhamdulillah, the local community deeply appreciated the efforts of these students who conducted the programme for more than three days,” said Kamaruddin.

The vaccination was given to children below five years of age and they were identified with permanent ink on their finger once they have been given the vaccine. This programme is one initiative in ensuring India becomes a country free of polio, as the disease could cause paralysis.

The polio disease or poliomyelitis occurs due to the poliovirus (PV) being the agent carrying the disease as it enters the human body through the mouth and contaminates the intestines, and may even go into the blood vessels and the central nervous system, resulting in muscle weakness and paralysis.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain