TIDREC Outreach: HeLP-PPR Program Empowers Communities Through Health Literacy

The Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, in collaboration with the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (MSPTM), successfully organised the HeLP-B40 outreach program, held on 18 May 2025 at PPR Kg. Baru HICOM, Shah Alam, and 25 May 2025 at PPR Lembah Subang 1, Petaling Jaya. Funded by the Poverty Research Lab UAC 2.0, Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies (UAC), Universiti Malaya, and led by Dr. Norhidayu Sahimin, the initiative aimed to strengthen health literacy among low-income communities by delivering practical, engaging education on infectious disease prevention.

This half-day program adopted a booth-based concept, with each station focusing on key public health topics such as dengue prevention, COVID-19 and influenza, good hand hygiene, and vector-borne infections. Held at Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR), a public housing initiative supporting low-income households, the events saw strong community engagement, reaching approximately 160 participants ranging from young children to elderly residents.

TIDREC extends sincere appreciation to MSPTM, all volunteers, student facilitators, and supporting partners who contributed to the program’s success. The encouraging participation and feedback from residents underscore the ongoing need for accessible, community-based health education.