Just for Kapit
I can never tell what politicians think.
I wish i have the power to read other people's mind.
Kapit. More or less 4months I have been living as a not so loving Medical Officer here in Kapit. Time flies really fast. A chronicles of bad events that happened to me lately make me realize, world is NOT FAIR. So Unjust!
The heavy logs incident that filled up Rajang River.
The express boat accident.
The low level of water of Rajang River.
Don't you get it? Are you blind? Or pretend to be blind? Are these still not enough to open your mind and eyes that Kapit does need help here!!!. We call ourselves a developing country. Is it? Yes developing only in some part of the country but most of the place still live in poverty.
The only way to go to Kapit is by the express boat. Yes by the river. There is NO road access to Kapit. NO at all. The express' tickets are not cheap. And it can only operate at daytime up till 3pm. They can't go at night as they can't see the stream well. And it takes 3hours from Sibu to Kapit and another 3hours to get to Belaga. The stream is not always at its best condition. Sometimes depends on the water. If things get a little rough, then may not be safe to travel at all. There are times that you may need to stay overnight in Sibu before you can go back to Kapit. Imagine like you want to pay your bill or you have a bank problem to settle, maybe your problem can be settled in a day but still you can only go back the next day as the latest express available will be at 230pm from Sibu. To stay overnight, have you ever find a hotel cost RM10 per night? Ridiculous! Maybe its ok for people who rides Mustang or Lamborghini but those who only rely on small amount of money they get from working at a paddy field, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL!
Here a story. I have a patient in the ward now, a gentleman who has been diagnosed as recurrent bladder Ca in Sibu. He supposed to go to Sibu for his treatment every week as he refused operation and refused radiotherapy(as both requires him to go to Kuching), and the medications that he supposed to take is NOT available in Kapit (i am still wondering why can't they give the meds over so that we can continue the injection here). He defaulted after 2 weeks. Surprise? Of course not. I asked him. Why? Because he has no money. To go to Sibu, the rides itself will take RM40 back and fro. And the stay in the hospital may at least about 2days. To do that every week with his money from working at the paddy field, then there will be no meals for him and his wife for the rest of the days. Although, he really hope can bring his wife together so that she will be there whenever he received that painful treatment, but he couldn't. He doesn't have MONEY. I asked him why don't you tell the doctor in Sibu that you can't afford the treatment? Because I just can't. Whatever the doctor has offered me is a blessing to me. It is my decision for not continuing the treatment. Besides, I can't get mad at a doctor, but any doctor can get mad at me.
Then another story. A child who was very ill. Already planned to transfer her to Sibu but unable to do so. Why? because of the thousands logs fill the Rajang River and the medivac already occupied with 2 cases from Mukah and unfortunately, the ventilator was not functioning that night. All these resulted in a death of a 4year old girl. Very unfortunate indeed. Imagine. What if there is a road access from Kapit to Sibu? And we can send her by ambulance no matter how late will that be. Or a flight to send her over in the middle of the night. Or there is a peaditrician here who can help us in resuscitating the child. Or a functioning ventilator that we can use. You think that the child will still be alive?
That too reminds me of a statement made by my patient's relative. I wanted to send his mother to Sibu for further management. Honestly, her mother will make it. I mean the prognosis is good. She might needs a constant care (ICU) which somehow much much better in Sibu rather than to ventilate her here with these new just graduate nurses. He asked me " how much is the cost of transferring back a corpse from Sibu?". I was surprised. Seriously I don't know but why asking? Because if his mother died in Sibu, the process to bring back the corpse will cause them a fortune. (I clarified with my staff, he said it will take around RM 2000-3000 for the boat). Seriously I never thought of that before. My concern was to get the patient immediately to Sibu for better care. I never thought of the worst possibility.
Go fuck with 100stories or 200stories mega tower they plan to do. Fucking build a road for Kapit for God sake!!..Fine!!..Still don't want road...still think Kapit like Malaysia's own Venice. Then get a better health care in Kapit. Are you going to do that DG? Was that in your plan from your short visit to Kapit last week? I doubt it from the way you came, maybe not much changes here i supposed. Next time you come, please make sure you talk to the locals. Ask them how they feel. Ask them what they want. And most importantly, find out what they need.
Probably they are waiting for the river to really dry or some big shot or celebrity or VVVVIP to die in Kapit then only they will do something.
I am not asking this for myself. I am asking this for them. The future generation.
Satu Malaysia
I wish i have the power to read other people's mind.
Kapit. More or less 4months I have been living as a not so loving Medical Officer here in Kapit. Time flies really fast. A chronicles of bad events that happened to me lately make me realize, world is NOT FAIR. So Unjust!
The heavy logs incident that filled up Rajang River.
The express boat accident.
The low level of water of Rajang River.
Don't you get it? Are you blind? Or pretend to be blind? Are these still not enough to open your mind and eyes that Kapit does need help here!!!. We call ourselves a developing country. Is it? Yes developing only in some part of the country but most of the place still live in poverty.
The only way to go to Kapit is by the express boat. Yes by the river. There is NO road access to Kapit. NO at all. The express' tickets are not cheap. And it can only operate at daytime up till 3pm. They can't go at night as they can't see the stream well. And it takes 3hours from Sibu to Kapit and another 3hours to get to Belaga. The stream is not always at its best condition. Sometimes depends on the water. If things get a little rough, then may not be safe to travel at all. There are times that you may need to stay overnight in Sibu before you can go back to Kapit. Imagine like you want to pay your bill or you have a bank problem to settle, maybe your problem can be settled in a day but still you can only go back the next day as the latest express available will be at 230pm from Sibu. To stay overnight, have you ever find a hotel cost RM10 per night? Ridiculous! Maybe its ok for people who rides Mustang or Lamborghini but those who only rely on small amount of money they get from working at a paddy field, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL!
Here a story. I have a patient in the ward now, a gentleman who has been diagnosed as recurrent bladder Ca in Sibu. He supposed to go to Sibu for his treatment every week as he refused operation and refused radiotherapy(as both requires him to go to Kuching), and the medications that he supposed to take is NOT available in Kapit (i am still wondering why can't they give the meds over so that we can continue the injection here). He defaulted after 2 weeks. Surprise? Of course not. I asked him. Why? Because he has no money. To go to Sibu, the rides itself will take RM40 back and fro. And the stay in the hospital may at least about 2days. To do that every week with his money from working at the paddy field, then there will be no meals for him and his wife for the rest of the days. Although, he really hope can bring his wife together so that she will be there whenever he received that painful treatment, but he couldn't. He doesn't have MONEY. I asked him why don't you tell the doctor in Sibu that you can't afford the treatment? Because I just can't. Whatever the doctor has offered me is a blessing to me. It is my decision for not continuing the treatment. Besides, I can't get mad at a doctor, but any doctor can get mad at me.
Then another story. A child who was very ill. Already planned to transfer her to Sibu but unable to do so. Why? because of the thousands logs fill the Rajang River and the medivac already occupied with 2 cases from Mukah and unfortunately, the ventilator was not functioning that night. All these resulted in a death of a 4year old girl. Very unfortunate indeed. Imagine. What if there is a road access from Kapit to Sibu? And we can send her by ambulance no matter how late will that be. Or a flight to send her over in the middle of the night. Or there is a peaditrician here who can help us in resuscitating the child. Or a functioning ventilator that we can use. You think that the child will still be alive?
That too reminds me of a statement made by my patient's relative. I wanted to send his mother to Sibu for further management. Honestly, her mother will make it. I mean the prognosis is good. She might needs a constant care (ICU) which somehow much much better in Sibu rather than to ventilate her here with these new just graduate nurses. He asked me " how much is the cost of transferring back a corpse from Sibu?". I was surprised. Seriously I don't know but why asking? Because if his mother died in Sibu, the process to bring back the corpse will cause them a fortune. (I clarified with my staff, he said it will take around RM 2000-3000 for the boat). Seriously I never thought of that before. My concern was to get the patient immediately to Sibu for better care. I never thought of the worst possibility.
Go fuck with 100stories or 200stories mega tower they plan to do. Fucking build a road for Kapit for God sake!!..Fine!!..Still don't want road...still think Kapit like Malaysia's own Venice. Then get a better health care in Kapit. Are you going to do that DG? Was that in your plan from your short visit to Kapit last week? I doubt it from the way you came, maybe not much changes here i supposed. Next time you come, please make sure you talk to the locals. Ask them how they feel. Ask them what they want. And most importantly, find out what they need.
Probably they are waiting for the river to really dry or some big shot or celebrity or VVVVIP to die in Kapit then only they will do something.
I am not asking this for myself. I am asking this for them. The future generation.
Satu Malaysia
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