Putatan Health Clinic treats more patients with sex diseases
KOTA KINABALU: The Putatan Health Clinic has recorded an increasing number of patients with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Most of them are sexually active youth, especially men practicing unprotected and same-gender sex. There are women patients as well who mostly contracted STDs from their partners.
Putatan Health Clinic head Dr Nik Farah Nik Yusuf Fuad disclosed this when met at the state-level “Gerak Rahmah: Jom Masak Bubur Lambuk” programme on Saturday.
“I advise the sexually active younger generation especially to practice safe sex, and try to stray from having sex while under the influence of drugs or alcohol and swapping partners to prevent from contracting STDs,” she said without revealing the figure.
Dr Nik Farah added that they also have one of the only three HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) clinics in Sabah, with the other two located in Tawau and Sandakan, where they provide HIV-prevention screening and medicine, able to be registered through the mySejahtera application.
She said the clinic has more than 2,000 diabetes patients aged 20 to 70 above, and every year it is a struggle for the clinic personnel to try and convince them to change their way of living to ward off the lifechanging and life-threatening disease.
“A healthy lifestyle through a healthier diet and physical exercises is vital in preventing such non-contractable diseases, especially with the abundance of sugar in food nowadays,” she said.
Around 3,000 packets of Bubur Lambuk were distributed to the people during the programme which was organised by the clinic, Putatan Senior Citizens Club and Putatan Rukun Tetangga Area (KRT).
Deputy Chief Minister
III cum Putatan Member of Parliament Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya officiated the programme and lauded the nationwide movement for continuing to spur the spirit of unity among the district’s community.
He said the programme is proof of how far the state and country as a whole have progressed in terms of tightening relationships and encouraging togetherness among all walks of life, and he congratulated the Ministry of National Unity (KPN) for also bettering national integration through such initiatives.
“I am calling upon the
Putatan community to answer this call for unity in our melting pot of a district. This role is also played by the KRTs, in which there are 11 operating in the district currently.
“This programme offers many benefits as the government, through the clinic, provides visitors with free health screenings and other health services.
“It is important for us to take care of our health and do these health screenings on a regular basis, regardless of age,” he said in his speech.