PETALING JAYA: Official reports may point to gaps in rural healthcare funding, but for those in remote communities, the struggle is not just about figures – it is about time, money and survival.
For Aini Abdullah, 46, from a village in Kelantan, a hospital visit takes almost an entire day.
“If my husband is sick, we have to travel more than an hour to the nearest hospital. Bus service is irregular, so we usually borrow a neighbour’s car and spend at least RM30 on petrol.”
Jamil, 52, an Orang Asli farmer from Pahang, said the high cost of travel often forces him to delay treatment.
“Sometimes I just endure the pain. Going to town means losing a day’s income and I still have to pay for transport and food. We only go if it gets really bad.”
For others, the most pressing concern is emergency response. A respondent Amir (not his real name) voiced his frustration.
“Response time for emergencies is very slow for rural folks. If we call for the health clinic doctor to come, they take forever to arrive. If we drive to the hospital, it also takes about an hour. In the city, it’s easier.
“A few times we had emergency health issues, we were able to see a doctor and get checked within 30 minutes because there are so many nearby hospitals and ambulance response time is almost immediate.”
