What began as a community health outreach initiative in Perak has grown into an award-winning effort to improve medication literacy and healthcare access among Malaysia’s Orang Asli communities.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP), through its Pharmacy Department under the Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (FPHS), received two recognitions in October 2026 for its contributions to community healthcare and pharmacy innovation in Pos Kuala Mu, Sungai Siput, Perak.
The achievements reflect UniKL’s continued commitment to translating academic expertise into meaningful community impact, particularly in supporting underserved populations through health education, preventive care and strategic partnerships.
The first recognition came on 10 October 2026 when the Duta Kesihatan Orang Asli 2025 programme received the Anugerah Kolaborasi Strategik Farmasi at the RxCELLENCE GALA 2026.
Organised on 20 September 2025 at SK Kuala Mu in conjunction with World Pharmacists Day, the programme brought together healthcare professionals, academic institutions and government agencies to strengthen health awareness and access among the Orang Asli community.
The initiative reached 170 families across five villages through grocery assistance, while more than 100 children benefited from head-lice screening and deworming treatment.
Beyond immediate assistance, UniKL RCMP pharmacy lecturers and students conducted Home Medication Reviews and delivered health education sessions to promote greater awareness of medication use and personal healthcare.
A key component was the training of eight Orang Asli community representatives as health ambassadors, equipping them with basic health-screening skills and encouraging greater community participation in preventive healthcare.
The programme was implemented through collaboration involving Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA), Bahagian Perkhidmatan Farmasi JKN Perak, MPS Perak, MPS Kelantan and UniKL RCMP.
Building on this engagement, the UniKL RCMP Pharmacy Department developed the Temiar Medication Literacy Innovation Kit, known as Kit Mog Lex Ubat Ek, to address medication literacy challenges among the Temiar Orang Asli community.
Designed with cultural relevance in mind, the innovation aims to help community members better understand their medicines and promote appropriate medication use.
The kit was pilot-tested at SK Pos Kuala Mu in April 2026, using pre- and post-intervention Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) assessments to evaluate its application in community health education.
The innovation subsequently earned a Silver Award in the Inovasi Produk Staf MARA (i-PSM) category at i-MARATeCH 2026, held on 16 October 2026.
Together, the two recognitions demonstrate how university-led community engagement can extend beyond conventional outreach activities by connecting pharmacy education, healthcare delivery and innovation to the needs of underserved communities.
The initiatives also contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, through community health education and preventive care; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, through efforts to address healthcare access and literacy challenges among indigenous communities; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through cross-sector collaboration.
