opinion
JUNE, 2018 | The HEALTH
03
Different
Strokes
by ADI SATRIA
Nothing
but the tooth
F
A marketing
communications veteran,
he had the benefits
of private healthcare
services provided by
his company, which was
seldom used. Prevention
to him is better than cure
and maintenance of a
healthy regime through
proper nutrition and
regular exercise was one
of the reasons for this.
However, dental care
is one that many of us
neglect until it hits you
painfully.
OR most of us, a toothache is
probably the most excruciating
experience one can have.
It screws up your day and if not
treated will only make it worse. No
Panadol or pain killer can completely solve
the problem. Only temporary relieve. If you
have a loose tooth, which usually happens as
age catches up on you, it’s another kind of
experience. You need to decide if you want
to save it by having a cap on it or have it
extracted. The process of trying to save it is
also something that I will not want to endure.
However, talking to people with a missing
tooth right in the front is also something else.
So it was this small dilemma that made me
procrastinate having it extracted.
For weeks, the loose tooth was beginning to
affect my food intake. Any kind of food that is
hard will cause the tooth to loosen up further
whenever I accidentally chew with it.
I also found out the hard way when I went
to Thailand to dive recently. I had to give up
as the pressure underwater had put a major
strain on the loose tooth.
So finally, I decided to end my misery by
going to the dentist. I had a choice of govern-
ment or private.
The private dentist in Setiawangsa gave
me a shock. RM100 to extract one miserable
tooth, not inclusive of medication.
“Those who spend
big money for private
healthcare may
actually be getting
the same service as
those provided by the
government. Consider
these realities. If you
call for an appointment
they will note your
name but it will still be
a first come first serve
basis.”
Fuming mad, I left and decided to try the
government clinic in Taman Keramat. By the
time I got there, it was already 10.30 am and the
dentist wasn’t taking any more patients until
8am the next day.
So I decided to go to the UTC complex
in Keramat to try my luck and was again
advised to come the next day. The UTC is
a much better choice because it is fully air
conditioned.
At 8.30 am the next day, after registration, I
only had to wait 15 minutes before I was called
in to see a young female dentist. I got a jab and
walah, the tooth was out in a minute. Now, how
about that for government service.
Do I need any medication? Nope, because
there was not even a drop of blood. Tooth-
fully, the loose tooth was just waiting to get
out of my mouth and free me from my misery.
And the price for all this — only RM1!
If anyone tells me that service in govern-
ment clinics are bad, think again.
Our government health service has not
been given the credit that is due to it.
Those who spend big money for private
healthcare may actually be getting the same
service as those provided by the government.
Consider these realities. If you call for an
appointment they will note your name but
it will still be a first come first serve basis.
The queues are still long. And that includes
queuing for your medication. I would have
thought that they will give you the medication
immediately after you have finished with the
doctor.
When I was admitted to the Ampang Hos-
pital for a serious ailment, I was attended to
by a team of 25 doctors and medical students,
went through very thorough tests to find out
the cause, got operated on and ultimately paid
only a token fee as a senior citizen.
I sincerely salute all the government
healthcare providers for their dedication and
commitment to serve and make life healthier
for all citizens and non-citizens alike. Truly
among the best in the world.
PRESCRIPTIVE
LAUGHTER
What is in front of a woman and
back of a cow?
I know exactly what you’re thinking
and it’s not it. It’s the letter W in front
of the word and cow which ends with
the same letter.