MERCY MALAYSIA WORKING TOWARDS ENHANCING VOLUNTEERS' COMMITMENT

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), Dec 6 (Bernama) -- You need not be a doctor or have a
medical background to volunteer in relief organisations.

In fact, over 70 per cent of the 7,000 volunteers registered with Mercy
Malaysia have no medical background at all, the relief organisation's president,
Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, said Sunday.

The other 30 per cent comprised paramedics, nurses and medical and health
assistants, he said at the Mercy Malaysia Volunteer Appreciation Day gathering
held near here in conjunction with International Volunteer Day.

Dr Faizal believed that Mercy Malaysia, which has 500 full fledged members,
and other relief organisations should make it easier for people to commit
themselves to humanitarian missions.

Dr Ahmad Faizal said that Mercy Malaysia was making its database more
inter-active to communicate with volunteers effectively and understand better
their needs.

Dr Ahmad Faizal said that Mercy Malaysia, an international humanitarian
non-governmental organisation, hoped to draw volunteers with skills in focused
areas like disaster risk-reduction, health and communication.

--BERNAMA