SHAH ALAM – For Dr Shalini Devi Ramachandran whose Taman Sri Muda clinic was devastated following the recent tragic floods here, quitting was never an option.
What kept her motivated even more to continue serving her patients were the outpouring of love and support by the public since the disaster wreaked havoc in major parts of the country last December.
Speaking to The Vibes, Dr Shalini, who owns and runs the Aranda Clinic together with her husband Dr Yuveneswara Murti, shared her struggle in getting back up on her feet and her aspiration to keep Taman Sri Muda “shining”.
“The (painful) feeling of financial loss is still there, and it is indescribable. But more than that, I'm still feeling so much love from the general public,” she said.
Following the December floods that cost her an estimated loss of RM850,000, Dr Shalini and her husband had been operating a temporary medical camp in front of her clinic for close to a month, offering free service to victims.
In the middle of last month, the couple finally decided to reopen their clinic, although renovation works and the purchasing of medication, instruments and equipment are still ongoing due to high costs.
According to Dr Shalini, it would take her upwards of six months before she can run her clinic at full speed again.
“Many of the walls are still damp and fungi are still growing. Most of the clinic’s rooms are still not usable. We also lost all our supplies of medication and are struggling to replace them. Now, we have to purchase in small amounts.
I managed to rent an ultrasound machine and purchase a new full blood count (FBC) machine, while someone donated an electrocardiogram (ECG). But we have yet to get a new X-Ray machine, among others,” she said.
She had also been receiving donations in the forms of furniture, while other Good Samaritans have helped her in setting up her clinic again following the floods.
“Betty and Mathi donated the furniture, Jarrod (computers), Hardev (ECG), and Steven (cleaning). These are but a few names of the people who have tremendously helped me. They requested anonymity, but they deserve all the credit,” she said.
Despite her struggles, the 34-year-old general practitioner said patients who visit her clinic, especially her regulars, also completely understood her situation and have been loyal customers.
However, according to Dr Shalini, not everything in Taman Sri Muda is looking up, revealing that many tenants in the area have opted to move out of the location since the recent disaster, for fear it may be hit by floods again.
Ray of hope: charity event aims to bring back Sri Muda’s shine
Realising this, she and her team — of Aranda Clinic staff and members of Dr Y & Dr S Fitness Centre which she founded — have since embarked on a charity run called “Let’s Shine Sri Muda”, as they attempt to help as many affected residents as possible and try to ensure more do not pack up and leave.
Among other activities, Dr Shalini said, the team had taken part in a gotong-royong and arranged Zumba sessions while collecting donations.
The money will then be used to buy paints for homes, as well as offer monetary help to residents to purchase new basic electrical appliances.
My intention is to recover Sri Muda. Many have left their houses. That is what's happening. I felt that rather than allowing this to happen, we can bring back shine to Sri Muda.”
Additionally, Dr Shalini has called on bigger corporations to offer more help to victims in the form of freebies or discounts for the purchase of appliances and paints.
She said that while the government has offered financial assistance, this is not enough, considering that the majority of Sri Muda folks are from lower-income households. – The Vibes, February 4, 2022
