KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 ― When the Penang Family Health Development Association (FHDA) first started, its focus was on reproductive health of women and this slowly expanded to include men and children.
As the years passed, they realised the shadow of HIV/AIDS could not be ignored and this in turn, became one of the more important services for the organisation.
Slowly but surely, the NGO started to gain a foothold in HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness work and started networking with partners such as government hospitals and clinics in Penang.
If anything, the passion continues to burn bright at FHDA despite starting their HIV/AIDS programme in the 1990s.
FHDA chairman Yeap Meng Chee said they are lucky to have staff and volunteers still eager to continue their programmes.
“They still have the passion,” she said.
“They still go about their duties like giving talks and training.
“We have dedicated volunteers and exco members.
“Some use their own cars to bring equipment and all. They are doing so much.”
FHDA was awarded the Tun Dr Siti Hasmah award in 2012.
The camaraderie is evident among the staff, exco members and volunteers as they gather around to have a snack of mieng kham for tea time.
There is laughter as they relate how popular the snack is with them before falling into serious discussion about the NGO’s fundraising dinner expected to be held soon.
They try to be self-sustaining, declared one of those present.
The services provided by FHDA are wide reaching.
While they have free HIV testing for key populations every fortnight, they also offer other services such as family planning, health screening and STI testing.
They also conduct outreach in the form of social support and sexual reproductive health services via the United Nations Population Fund to underserved women.
In terms of outreach, there is the MAC Global Fund harm reduction HIV/STI project that uses case management for key populations.
Case workers bring clients for medical treatment in Penang and Kedah.
Clients can keep in touch with their case workers or go to FHDA’s service centres in George Town or Bukit Mertajam for recreational activities.
They also have the Maycare treatment adherence peer support services for patients receiving anti-retroviral medication in government health facilities together.
Financial support is given for travel and also for children affected by HIV/AIDS.
Counselling is also given at the centres for HIV, STI, unwanted pregnancies, fertility contraception, sexuality, disabled youth and LGBT.
The NGO goes beyond its borders and ventures into advocacy as well in terms of fighting for increased access to healthcare and employment for marginalised populations and comprehensive sex education for young people.
Honorary treasurer Ong Lau Seong said although they started their HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness work in the 1990s, it did not gain a foothold until 2003.
He recalled starting out with an interactive game ala snakes and ladders for the public where there was a giant board made of wood with various pointers on HIV/AIDS.
“The first stage of the game was a rough version but we then developed it and brought it around with us.
“We try to get a computer game developed but it was too expensive.”
Although FHDA has made great strides in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, Ong was quick to point out the work is far from done as there are other potential danger spots lurking.
One of it, he said was the emergence of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which although was a way of preventing HIV infections, left the MSM population at risk of developing other STIs such as anal warts.
“It is worrying.
“We cannot be complacent just because there is a drop in HIV infections,” he added.
Going beyond call of duty
She had spent 22 years as a paediatric staff nurse.
When life threw her a curve ball, Jubaidah Bee Nagoor Pitchay looked at it straight in the eye and accepted the challenge.
The challenge was to shift her speciality to infectious diseases, which included caring for people living with HIV (PLHIV).
This resulted in the 64-year-old being the only trained staff nurse in the speciality in Penang.
She came to Kuala Lumpur for a three-week training under the Health Ministry national adviser for infectious diseases Datuk Dr Christopher Lee.
“He told me, ‘Kak Ju, you can do it!,” recalled the Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Award 2006 winner.
Once equipped with her training, Jubaidah went back to Seberang Jaya and started her work.
However, she was not satisfied as she felt that her work in the hospital was not enabling her to reach out to patients.
So, she took a drive around Penang island to look for anyone who was helping PLHIV and finally made it to Batu Ferringhi.
There, she saw a banner stating that FHDA was having an event for PLHIV.
She went into the hotel where the function was held and made enquiries.
This led to a lasting partnership between Jubaidah and the association that resulted in her gaining access to PLHIV and FHDA being able to reach out to patients in hospitals.
“Why is there even stigma to begin with? PLHIV can work, find their own money and be healthy,” she said.
“The patients are very close to me. They have a lot of chances to life.”
Discrimination is nothing new for Jubaidah who faced it because of the patients she was treating.
Nurses, she added were also reluctant to come onboard to the speciality.
She recalled having wept after being derided by people for helping PLHIV.
“But I pray to Allah. My intentions are good. If there is anyone to punish me, it is God.
“This is about health, prevention and treatment.
“Condoms prevents diseases. If you prevent them, people won’t get infected. And there is also treatment. I am so happy to see patients who are living more than 20 years later.”
Her family remains supportive of her work with one daughter helping to prepare PowerPoint slides for her talks.
“There was a time when my youngest son did a presentation in Form 3 on drugs and rehabilitation centres.
“He got first place. The teachers were impressed and asked him how he knew about the topic.
“He told it was because his mother was an infectious disease nurse. I used to have this big bag filled with leaflets and pamphlets.”
She is also aware that she is now seeing the children of patients who have grown up and wrestling with problems such as relationships.
“I advise them to discuss their status with their partner. And how marriage and pregnancy is possible,” she added.
Of how she makes her way to acquaint herself among PLHIV, she chuckled as she knew a tudung-wearing woman might be looked upon with hesitance among the community.
“But I go up to them. I show them my nurse’s identification card.
“I tell them I’m not an ustazah but I’m there to give information on how to prevent and treat HIV.”
There is of course sadness when patients die.
One of them that she vividly remembers is a five-year-old boy who died from complications.
“We kept him at the hospital for some time and then, he was sent to a welfare home. He was a special child.”
Her work has, among others, seen her entering rehabilitation centres, schools and factories to give talks.
Even post-retirement, Jubaidah is not resting easy but shuttles between Kuala Lumpur where her family and grandchildren live to return to Penang to remain involved in HIV prevention and awareness work.
“I have to take photos of myself and send them to my grandchildren to let them know what I am doing.
“I cannot stop. It has become my passion.”
* ENDING AIDS: Silver Linings in the first 25 years of Malaysian AIDS Council was a coffee table book written by Malay Mail’s Weekend Editor Audrey Edwards that was produced by the council and Malaysian AIDS Foundation.
Malay Mail, as media partner of the Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Award Gala Dinner, has been given permission to republish some of the articles contained in the book.
The stories this week are about the Penang Family Health Development Association (FHDA) and Jubaidah Bee Nagoor Pitchay.
They won the Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Award in 2012 and 2006 respectively.
** Tables are available in the following categories: diamond (RM50,000); platinum (RM30,000) and gold (RM20,000). For more information, please contact Nurshaliza Manaf at [email protected] or 014-504 8927 or Azahemy Abdullah at [email protected] or 016-646 5874.
