The Little Red Book

Some of my friends told me if you get yourself registered with the government health centre (Pusat Kesihatan) at your area , you will be entitled free monthly maternity check-up and more importantly, your baby will enjoy free injection throughout his/her childhood in the future. You just need to flag the 'red book' at the registration counter every time you do your check-up. The red book is a book that recorded all your medical records about your previous visits.

Many of us hold negative perception about the services offered by government hospitals and clinics.We think that the nurses are rude, the doctors are inexperience, the hygiene level is low and the queue is long.  The only good point is the charges is low.  Thus, many of us, especially those who can afford above middle class lifestyle, don't even bother to consider visiting government health care institutions when in need, even though that is one of the basic citizen welfares that the government invested millions of dollars to maintain annually. All Malaysian that hold a valid identity card are entitled to enjoy this welfare. However, most of the tax payers choose to let go their right. Instead, they spend more money to visit private clinics or hospitals for better treatment. Sorry to say that, I was one of them.

I decided to apply for the 'red book' after I had a conversation with one of my friends, whose husband is an eye specialist in a government hospital. According to her, both her son enjoy free injections by the government. They never paid a cent to get the jabs. However, she honestly told me that she delivered both her sons in the private hospitals. The reason being if you choose to deliver in the government hospital you will never know which doctor will deliver your baby as it depends on which doctor is on duty during your delivery date. Also, in most cases labour is done by experienced nurses instead of certified doctors. I do not know how true is this. I just know that all my family members objected when I 'tested' them by saying:" How about having me deliver the baby in the government hospital?"

When I was in week 17, I visited Pusat Kesihatan Taman Ehsan to apply for the red book. This is the nearest government health care centre from my house even though it is really not that near. Bringing along our marriage certificate, electric and water bill (to prove that we stay in the right district in order for me to visit this particular health care centre), my husband and I arrived at the health centre at 8am on a Wednesday (new registration only opens every Wednesday).

Pusat Kesihatan Taman Ehsan

Upon arrival, I was shocked by the number of the crowd. There were so many pregnant ladies, infants and their family members of all races.

The waiting hall

After submitted my details to a nurse at the reception counter, I was ordered to weigh myself and measure my height at the weighing corner. Yes, this is completely a D.I.Y system, either you weigh yourself and remember all the readings or you can ask your companion to help you.

After that, I was directed to provide urine sample for glucose test. So how to do this by yourself?   Firstly, go to the rack in the toilet, pick up an empty bottle with number written on it, provide your own sample, put the bottle back into the rack and then remember the number on the bottle. Honestly, I was quite amuzed by the system as it reminded me my secondary school time where we got the chance to organize all kind of science experiments in the lab.

What I did next was waiting, waiting and waiting. My husband had to leave me alone by 10:00am as he had a meeting to attend. I didn't dare to leave my seat because I knew that I would lose it immediately I stood up. I was given a queue number, but at the same time names were being called by nurse too. The waiting hall was crowded and noisy, filled with the chattering sound of the patients, the cries and giggling sound of the kids....And in the midst, we have to pay attention to the nurse whenever they call a patient's name. There was no public announcement system, you had to open your ears and pay attention. I was confused. Should I just look at the number showed on the electronic display board or listen to the names being called?

By 10:30am, I heard my name being called. I woke up from day dreaming and quickly walked to the nurse, who was stationed at a table. I was welcomed with a smile, a very sincere one. She asked about my medical background and jotted down my weight and height before measuring my blood pressure. Next, she asked if anyone had tested my urine earlier that morning? I said no.

It gave me a shock when she suddenly stood up and raised her voice at the crowd:" Siapa yang belum uji kencing, sekarang ikut saya pergi toilet!( Whoever has not tested her urine now follow me to the toilet!)" 

Upon her announcement, about 10 pregnant ladies made their way to the toilet to take their own urine specimen and began to queue up in front of that nurse. I was so worried if someone had mistakenly took my bottle. Luckily this did not happen. One by one, the nurse put in the diabetes test strip into our bottles to observe if there was any colour changes on the strip.

After that, I was asked to wait for my turn to do the blood test. It was another 30 minutes aimless wait before my name was called again. I was led to a room where my blood specimen was taken. Then, the nurse passed me the test tube filled with my blood sample. I learned that I had to bring my own blood sample to the laboratory, which was housed at the same building. I only waited for less than 10 minutes, before the lab assistant passed me my blood test report. That was a test for HIV, STD and hemoglobin level.



The counter of the blood test laboratory



With the blood test report, I went back to the nurse at the blood test station. She explained the result to me and asked me to wait for my turn to see the doctor. By then, I knew that when the electronic board showed my number, that would be my turn to see the doctor in the consultation room. 

Finally, I was in the doctor's room after 30 minutes. She was very young, but friendly and caring. After reading the report in my red book, she performed an ultrasound to check the condition on my baby. The ultrasound image was printed out on the spot and then stapled in my red book. 

I felt relieved after seeing the doctor and thought I can go to work finally. However, I was told that I had to go back to the waiting hall to wait for my turn to see the nurse. It took another 15 minutes before my turn. The nurse set the date and time of my next check-up in the system. Sje also convinced me that the next check-up would not take so long as they already have all my details. The date and time of a compulsory dental check-up session was also set as this was one of the requirement that I need to fulfilled if I chose to give birth in the government hospital in the later stage. Another requirement was to attend at least 2 sessions of breast feeding training, organized by the same health care centre. 

I was also given one month supply of multi vitamin, floic acid, vitamin C, and iron supplement. I asked how much and where should I make the payment before I leave. The nurse smiled and told me that I do not need to pay anything, just remember to take my supplement accordingly.

A week later, I came back to the same place for my dental check-up. The waiting time was 30 minutes. I got my tooth filled (it was painless!) and again it was free of charge.

Despite the toilets are not sparking clean and the place is a bit crowded, overall, the nursing staffs were very friendly and informative. If you do not mind to spend a morning or an afternoon each month for your routine pre-natal check-up, government health care centre is actually not a bad choice, if your pregnancy is not a complicated one. At least get a red book, leave a record in the system, so that you can send your kid for free jabs in the future, if you want to. 

My red book (personal details has been deleted for privacy purposes)

P/S: I have not decided if I will be going for my next appointment at the government health care centre as I will be seeing my doctor in the private hospital too. The purpose of my first visit is to get the red book and leave a record in the system. I have decided to deliver my baby in the private hospital.