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Berita MPA 2000
As we look at the start of the
2 1 st century and the official 21 st birthday of MPA, let's remind
ourselves of the progress that the MPA has made in the last 21 years
of its existence to appreciate the original founders of MPA and
to set a starting point for the year 2000 onwards. From a small
group of our predecessors and as a paediatric society branch of
the Malaysian Medical Association, the MPA has evolved into a voice
championing the rights of children and promoting the science of
paediatrics and child health. Every year, we grow in strength and
problems within the membership have been resolved by each new elected
committee.
Problems and setbacks
The main problem in the early days
was with communication - members did not know what was really going
on in the executive committee they elected. This has been settled
by the distribution of a regular quarterly newsletter since 1995
(it used to be biannually since 1993) and the currently indispensable
e-mail.. Complaints of the MPA being. a Kuala Lumpur association
was handled by having our scientific congresses and annual general
meetings outside the federal capital. The plan is to have the next
one in Kuantan, Pahang. The formation of State Committees
liberated non-KL members to organise local meetings and activities
supported by the MPA central committee. A grant of RM 2,000 can
be obtained firom our magnanimous Treasurer for such activities.
Major Projects
Among the big projects, the
Rumah Pendidikan Kesihatan dan Pemakanan (RPKP) was one of
the early major projects by MPA. Although the aims were noble, after
21 years (14 years in its present location), the torch is still
in the hands of Datuks Sham Kasim and Sam Abraham. A new RPKP committee
will be formed this year to carry on from the original torch-bearers
and a new direction for RPKP is required.
The Malaysian Paediatric
Surveillance Unit (MPSU) was set up to be based in lpoh Hospital
and has helped a few researchers get data. This is now in the process
of being revamped as the enthusiasm had waned and the pioneers are
now suffering from 'bum-out'. The original aim of making the MPSU
a source of data on children, child health and paediatrics has not
developed. We should all try harder to make this important project
work. We shall try to relocate the MPSU and we thank the original
pioneers, Drs Jackle Ho and Amar Singh.
Our very own journal, the
Malaysian Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, has been mentioned
by every MPA President who took office. Yet the response is still
lukewarm, if not cool. Like previous Presidents before me, I make
the same appeal to those gifted with research and writing to submit
papers for publication in MJPCH.
The future
As was decided at out AGM on 3rd
June 2000, MPA will look for a new premise to purchase as our secretariat.
The money spent buying the property will be worth it considering
the rental of RM1,300 we are currently paying every month.
We have developed close links
with the Ministry of Health through dialogues with the Minister
and die DirectorGeneral. We still have to build bridges linking
us with the Education Ministry's curriculum division and the Finance
Ministry. The latter is for negotiating tax exemptions on certain
child safety equipment, eg. car seats, bicycle helmets, educational
toys, etc.
MPA's voice is still not
heard in major debates on current issues, cg. vandalism and gangsterism
in schools, children's school books saga, use of toxic material
in toys, etc. The main reason for the side-line approach is that
we do not have local data to support our opinions. Data, as we know,
can be found but we have to look and search. To this end, we have
formed a current affairs subcommittee to respond to issues in the
press and prepare statements for special occasions, eg. Children's
Day (23 Oct).
Continuing nursing education
is one of the proposed activities for the year. The nurses' book
(Masalah Pediatrik untuk Jururawat) first published by MPA in 1994
is due for a second edition. It is also hoped that we can continue
with our weekend rendezvous on continuing medical education. Less
expensive continuing education can also be done by having presentations
at major hospitals in the country. We shall start with the three
major hospitals in the Klang valley for the benefit of our colleagues
in the private sector. If the response is good, we shall take the
idea out to the other states.
With the young, active (plus
some hyperactive ones) and enthusiastic executive committee, I am
sure there will be more MPA activities in 2000-2001. It is hoped
that the activities will reach every member of the MPA. The State
Committees can organise their own activities as had been successfully
carried out by Kelantan and Sabah.
Zulkifli Ismail
President 2000-2001
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