Buku Merah (or Pink?)

My first proper antenatal visit to Klinik Kesihatan was during my 12 week pregnancy. Before I went there, I read a lot on Google about their registration procedure, checklist and the list goes on. Mind you, that was my first time going to a government clinic (apart from the pre-marriage HIV test) so I can say I'm a little bit skeptical about it. I think it is rooted in our Malaysian minds that government service is very, very, very slow to the boot.

Before I enrolled myself to the clinic, I asked my experienced friends about the options for antenatal checkup. Most of them suggested the government clinic, just to be on the safe side. Why? Because if anything happens when you're about to deliver (eg; complications), the private hospital will definitely refer you to the government hospital. At least, when you have your record and buku merah with the government clinic, even if you're going for the checkup only once in your whole pregnancy days there, you will be accepted without any complaints. Haha.

I understand that in order to register to a particular clinic, you must refer to your residential address. For example, if you stay in Shah Alam you cannot go to a clinic in Kelana Jaya. Unless you're working in that certain district. In order to validate your address, you have to bring a copy of your water/electric bill during registration. Here's the documents needed for the registration:

• Your original IC
• Your husband's original / copy IC
• Marriage certificate
• Proof of address (water/electric bill)
• Proof of pregnancy (photo from your scan/letter from your doctor)

With all these documents, I went to a Klinik Kesihatan in Puchong to register my pregnancy. My husband came by later to accompany me. The registration was a quick one. I arrived around 7am (to avoid to humongous crowd) and the nurse at the counter gave me a waiting number and the books to fill up my particulars. She just asked me where I stay, without even checking all those documents for authentication. Good. At 8am, my number was called and the whole antenatal procedure finished at 11.30am.

My verdict, yes the crowd is huge! What more can you complained because it is free service. But the nurses are nice. Eventho they have to cater to a lot of patients everyday, but they still managed to smile and talk nicely to me. I feel their warmth. So I don't really mind if I have to wait because normally, the checkup will last from 8am till afternoon. And don't forget to fill up that empty stomach before you come here because trust me, you have to wait for a long, long time.