Reaching out to the Community in 2014

28 January 2014 – International Medical University officially launched its “IMU Cares” campaign for 2014, as part of its Community Service efforts. This includes an  outreach programme where faculty and students venture into rural communities, including orang asli villages to provide basic health and medical screening. The campaign involves staff and students of the University, from its main campus in Bukit Jalil and its Clinical Schools in Seremban, Kuala Pilah, Kluang and Batu Pahat. The University’s external affairs director Prof Ong Kok Hai said:

“This year, the University, a subsidiary of IHH Healthcare, has benefitted from the Khazanah IHH Healthcare Fund that led to the expansion of its outreach programme under the “IMU Cares” initiative. The fund is Khazanah’s endowment from realised gains through its investment in IHH Healthcare Berhad.”

Financial aid provided through the Khazanah IHH Healthcare Fund will enable IMU to provide medical treatment for needy patients at various Pantai Group hospitals and at the IMU Healthcare clinics. Additional medical equipment has been purchased, and a new van to enable IMU Cares project teams greater access to certain locations poorly accessible by bus or on foot.  This will enable us to provide medical screening in more remote areas.  It will also allow transportation of residents from their homes for treatment at the IMU Healthcare clinics at our Bukit Jalil campus.  The University remains committed to serving the community and to making a difference in the lives of the individuals with whom we engage. Apart from the utilisation of Fund for its outreach clinic programmes, IMU also acts as a referral partner via its clinical schools, medical professionals and students, to identify and manage cases within the Fund’s criteria. The RM50 million Khazanah IHH Healthcare Fund was established in July last year at the launch of IHH’s initial public offering announced by the Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak.  The fund is expected to assist needy patients in Malaysia, Singapore and Turkey with 70% of the total allocated for Malaysia, and would be disbursed through two of IHH Berhad’s entities; Pantai Holdings Berhad and IMU. This fund was officially launched in December 2013 in Penang by Dato’ Khairul Anuar Abdullah, Chairman of Pantai Holdings Bhd.  At the same event, IMU external affairs director Prof Ong Kok Hai presented a mock cheque of RM100,000 to the Penang Hospice Society, represented by its Director Datuk Seri Dr T Devaraj. The money was raised through the IMU Chariofare, a Charity Carnival and Charity Run, in September 2013.  From the Chariofare, another cheque of RM50,000 was also presented to the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM).

Another project under the auspices of IMU Cares is the donation of RM10,000 to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan via the Sun newspaper’s Typhoon Haiyan Fund. This was the initiative of students in one of the University’s clubs and societies, the Asian Medical Students’ Association. Prof Ong Kok Hai who handed the donation to the Sun said that “It is important for the students to be inculcated with the spirit of giving back to the community.” For more about the IMU Cares initiative, click here