Faculty of Homeopathy Malaysia
The Homeopathic Doctor Without Barriers
Every year approximately 50 homeopathic doctors from Malaysia give up their annual holidays. They make their medical knowledge and skill available to charity. " homeopathic Doctor Without barriers" free of charge of a period of at least 4 days to eight weeks. On top of this they even pay for their flight to help the country to which they are sent.
In 1979 Dr Nik Omar the president and founder of The Registered Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Association of Malaysia( MRHP) established the organization in Kota Bharu with the aim of providing medical help in countries with low level of medical provision.
Since then he has been able to arrange almost 50 assignments for Malaysian doctors. They works in various projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and Malaysia.
" Of course we ask our self whether such short stay really made any sense" admit Dr Nik Omar. However both he and the doctor involve came to the conclusion that a physician can provide a lot of help even in a short time.
" I don't need to know the country culture to be able to carry out my duties", says Dr Mohammad Ali Hamzah, who is also the Secretary general of MRHP Malaysia. The 42 years a old homeopathic specialist for internal medicine has served in three international assignment at Pakistan, Afghanistan and Thailand.
" Our principle is to place medicine above all. Those poor need our help. We just cannot leave the suffering of the population to the government alone. We shall come forward to help them. That why I join this group " says Dr Mohd Ali who survived from MIG bombing at Al Fatah Camp near Jalalabad near Afghanistan in November 1987.
The short term assignment has the advantage toward the doctor who want to help in the third world. They do not have to give up their clinical practice in their home country. For many project in the development field. It is necessary to be available for at least six months. "Then I simply could simply close down my practice here for good", say Dr Mohammad Hairuddin Hamid. My practice would have all gone else where. Beside of being a full time lecturer at the Faculty of Homeopathy Malaysia, he is also the president of MRHP at Johor Branch, just few kilometer from Singapore border.
This is the reason why the doctor has been showing a considerable interest in this holiday assignment. Dr Nik Omar file now include 50 homeopathic doctors of whom 20 are women. He is always ready with new assignment and duties to carry out the charity organization works and he is proud of the fact that almost all his assignment is successful done well in time.
" We are not carrying out development works, says Dr Nik Omar. The doctors works primarily involve humanitarian aid " We are not able to bring out any changes in our patients living condition or in structure of the countries concerned" add Dr Che Musa Muhammad, an active volunteer who has served many mission abroad.
Nevertheless the works in the slum where the doctors also live during their stay in the third world gives personal satisfaction. It is not only important that acute hardship and pain can be alleviate.
" In relation to the experience we take home with us, we take a lot more from the people there then we actually invest ourselves, says homeopathic paediatrician Dr Mohd Nasir Zain, who has just returned from Yala, South Thailand worst flood affected areas. He is also the secretary general of the Asian Homeopathic Medical League based at New Delhi, India.
He says that he has learnt a great deal from the people in the slum of Yala, South Thailand who still radiate vitality and confidence in spite of their poverty. When you return from such a trip, he says you stand above every day concerns of the normal Malaysian" you can distance yourself from selfish affluence " says Dr Mohd Nasir.
Inexperience doctors are not sent to the project, ensure Dr Nik Omar " The doctors have to fulfill certain requirement" he says. In addition to medical qualification, character is also very important." Anyone who is squeamish and can't do without sweet smelling bath water would do better to say at home", sum up Dr Hajjah Faridah Hamat another lady doctor who just join DWB recently.
Works in the health center of the third world countries is very different from the usual working environment of Malaysian decorative clinic where in most case a stethoscope, a lamp, a scalpel and range of not more than 50 medicines is all that is available for diagnosis and treatment. The most common illnesses are cause by in adequate nutrition and especially by infection and for this reason counseling in health care in more important part of the works.
The help provided by Doctor Without Barriers is financed exclusively by donation and support of a group of sponsor which bear the administrative costs. " A hundred percent of the money donated goes directly into the project", stated Dr Mohd Nasir who is the finance controller of the group. With five members of the staff, he runs an office, a small rooms attached to Homeopathic Medical Centre at Kota Bharu, 450 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur, just 15 kilometers from Thailand border.
Doctors To The Rescue
Four In Thailand to help flood victims
The spirit of friendship among Malaysian knows no bound. A case in point is the four Malaysian medical practitioners from National Homeopathic Organisation of Malaysia -MRHP who left for Thailand yesterday to provide free medical treatment for flood victim there.
The four doctors are Dr Nik Omar Haji Nik Daud, who is the association president, Dr Mohd Ali Hamzah, Dr Che Musa Muhammad and Dr Mohd Nasir Mohd zain.
They will be at the flood areas of Narathiwat and Nakorn si Thamarat for as long as a month, depending on the situation of the flood. The four doctors are expected to carry out surveys and research work and also giving free medical services to the flood victims.
This is the third time the four doctors are offering their services abroad - the first being in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Today 120 members from six Asean countries who are here attending the Asean Music Workshop will be assisting the Putra World Trade centre staff to sort out clothes collected for flood victim in South Thailand.- Malay Mail December 9, 1988
Relief To Shanty-Dwellers by Malaysian Medical Team
From Daily Shri Lanka: Observer Febuary 10, 1992
The Malaysian's closest parallel to France Medicine San Frontiers (MSF) a team of medical practitioners who have volunteered to share their knowledge and skills around the world for a short period of time every year, free of charge.
Every year flying under their own banner Homeopathic Doctors Without barriers arounf fifty homeopathic doctors from Malaysia are now doing the same thing concentrating mostly on the Third World countries like Shri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia and India.
The organization, commonly known as 'DRWB' was set up in 1979 at Kota Bharu, Malaysia by Prof Dr Nik Omar, who is also the president of Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Association of Malaysia (MRHP). Its goal " Providing medical help to countries with low levels of medical provision'
To date, they have worked on many projects covering countries such as Afghanistan, pakistan, Thailand, India, Malaysia and Indonesia and working gratis and even paying their own airfare, for a period of four days to eight weeks.
The doctors who arrived here a week ago have already conducted a free clinic for shanty-dwellers living on the banks of the Wellewatte canal.
Says Dr Nik Omar, the leader of three member team of the health camp just concluded " It was truly rewarding experience and in many ways an eye opener to us. We had about hundred patients - children and adult, whom we examined and give free medication. We were surprised at the number of cases of eye diseases including cataract we detected, especially among young and how widespread were the worm infection and respiratory infections among the children living in these tenement houses.
Four Set Out On Afghan Mission
Strait Times Sept. 1987
Petaling Jaya, Fri - It was a quiet departure early this morning for the group of Malaysian volunteers, believe to be the first, to aid Afghan refugees at the camps in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The four homeopath waited enthualastically for Flight PK773 for Pakistan via Bangkok at 12.55am. But the flight was delayed for two hours. Yet they were not perturbed.
" We are looking forward to the two months of experience, " said group leader Dr Nik Omar bin Nik Daud
Nik Omar 37, Mohdmmad Hairuddin Hamid 34, Mohammad Ali Hamzah 37 and Mohammad Suhaimi Yusoff 28 were members of the Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Practitioners Association -MRHP.
" The refugees are badly in need of medical supplies and we feel our knowledge in homeopathy will go a long way in helping the, " said Nik Omar who is also the president of the association.
The four were sponsered by the association and from public donations. A total of RM 12,000 was collected from the public, while the association shipped in another $ 6,730.
"We have plans for two more teams. One will leave in April next year, followed by the third in August. On behalf of the association, I appeal to public for the help and sponsor them." said Nik Omar
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Embassy here advised Malaysians to secure the clearance of the Pakistan Government before embarking on any visit to Afghan refugee camps.
Afghan Camps Need More Aid: Volunteer
Strait Times 15 Nov.,1987
Kuala Lumpur: Fri - A homeopathic volunteer who worked in an afghan refugee camp in Pakistan, today urged Muslim countries to step up donation of food, clothing and medical supplies to the camps.
Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Practitioners association secretary general Mohammed Ali Hamzah said almost all the refugee camps in Pakistan were in dire need of warm clothing's and medical supplies.
He returned with three others from rendering voluntary service at the camps in Peshawar in Pakistan, together with volunteer teams from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and Yeman.
he said that about 100 to 200 patients sought their services daily. Most of them has wounds, skin diseases, cough and stomach ailments. he said Russian troops shelled the vicinity of the camp daily for 15 to 20 minutes. " The fear and apprehension however somehow disappeared as the sound of the azan and Mujahiddin cannon, he said - Bernama.