Sarawak General Hospital

PERSONAL DETAILS

Name	Zen Yap and Pamela Lim

ELECTIVE DETAILS

Country	Malaysia (Borneo)	City	1. Kuching 2. Sibu 3. Kapit
Setting	Urban (1), rural (2), remote (3); tropical (1, 2, 3); developing
Local languages spoken	Malay, Chinese, Iban, other local dialects.
Dates of elective	January – February 2008
Year level during elective	5	Expected level of knowledge	4th or 5th year

DETAILS OF INSTITUTION

Name	Sarawak General Hospital	Population served	All of Sarawak (about 1 million)
Size	700 beds
Departments/specialties available	Everything, including paediatrics and O & G. Chance for longhouse visit and health checks (Sibu, Kapit).
Further description	Elective was sponsored by “Kenyalang Medical Foundation”.
Student responsibilities	Wear a white coat! And a tie if a guy!
Teaching availability	Variable depeding on department – a huge amount of neurosurgery/neurology. Lots of hands-on experience in Kapit.
Elective contact
Application process	Via Kenyalang Medical Foundation.
Donations brought/grants	Beds, medication, hand hygiene (alcohol gels)

TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, FOOD, LEISURE AND EXPECTED COSTS

Accommodation options	Included with elective sponsorship.	AUD$10-20pp/night
Accommodation details
Travel to location (including necessary documentation)	Malaysian Airlines, Air Asia	AUD$2000
Transport within location	Walking, taxi, public buses (can be Boat, air (intercity) and bus.	AUD$50/month
Food allowances		AUD$5-10/day
Social activities	Eating, caving, shopping, trekking, museums.	AUD$200 (caving, shopping…)
Recommended vaccinations	Japanese encephalitis. Malaria prophylaxis if going rural/remote/trekking.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The good	Travel and tourist activities. Food.
The bad	Occasional monsoon weather. Malaria region.
Further descriptions, comments or advice	The friendliness and warmth of the staff! Longhouse visit. Advice: mosquito repellent! Camera!
For more information	Lonely Planet Borneo