A trip to DXN

After following on a BAKAS field trip to observe “tandas curah” and a 29 year old water pump, we left for another field trip with the Food Quality Control department to the DXN GanoDerma factory in Bukit Wang, about 11km from Jitra.
We arrived at 11.00pm and were ushered into the administrative lobby, we then went to the storage warehouse to meet Mr. Mohd Noor, the Environmental Health Assistant Officer from Food Quality Control Department.
He explained that when(in this case), the factory requests for a Health Certificate, the DHO will send its team to collect samples of the product. Usually 3 samples are collected for each batch of products:
1. The Accredited lab.
2. District Health Office.
3. Factory.
This is done for cross-referencing later on. Among the test done are:
1. pH.
2. Moisture.
3. Total Plate Count(TPC).
4. Heavy Metal( Lead, Mercury, Arsenic)
5. Microorganisms.
The lab results are obtained within 2 weeks and the Health Certificate is produced within a week if all conditions are met, so the entire process is done in 3 weeks. The cost is about RM 80 which is paid by the applicant.
The health certificate is necessary for exporting purposes.




After that we were invited for a ”Plant Tour”, Mr Lim Beng Tuan, the Senior Administrative Executive.
The company’s name is DXN Industries SDN. BHD. Started operations in 1995 as a plantation and was formally registered on the 20 November 1996. This site was opened in 1997. This plant has 730 workers and covers an area of 48 hectares. The company’s other plants are in Indonesia, China, and India.
DXN produces pharmaceutical, food, drinks, and cosmetic products which are exported to 22 countries around the world.

At the start of the tour we were brought to its plantation zone. This is where we first saw the preparation for seeding using sawdust and rice bran. Daily 5000 seeding bags are autoclaved for 2 hours at 125 °C and 11 PSI. It is then cooled down for a day before the spore is inserted in the polybag. The seeding room is kept clean, even unhealthy workers are not allowed in.
The mushrooms are then grown in cabins. There are 124 cabins of which only 4 are opened for tours. Each cabin has 21000 spores. The humidity and temperature are closely monitored. The mushrooms are harvested at about 3 months.
We were then taken to the pharmaceutical production line, where we were told that no photos were to be taken, as these were supposed to be company secrets. We saw how the different products were produced and packaged. At the end of the line we were given 4 sample tablets to try.
We then went to the food and beverage production line, followed by the cosmetic line where we were told about the company getting its “halal” certification by JAKIM.
At the end we were each given some free samples that are yet on the market.

PIC 1: at the autoclave

PIC 2: caffeine products

PIC 3: tablets given to us

PIC 4: production line

PIC 5: with Mr Lim

PIC 6: Tandas curah

PIC 7: Water pump

PIC 8: Culture cabin

PIC 9: Autoclave

KUALA MUDA, 3.8.08, (DAY 5): DAILY REPORT

Today was a rather exciting day for us as a field work was arranged for by the BAKAS unit. Firstly, we gather in the meeting room at 9 am for a short briefing before we left to the site. Mr. Kammarudin who is the head of BAKAS unit gave a short briefing about the activities carried out by the BAKAS unit.




PPKP Mr. Kammarudin (BAKAS unit)


BAKAS activity is the continuation of the activity done since early 1960s - it emphasis on preventing the spread of communicable disease in terms to improve the health status of the suburban community by providing hygienic environment.



Main BAKAS Component:

1. Water supply project: Piping system (sistem sambungan paip JKR/KKM

• Gravity Water Supply system (sistem Bekalan Air Graviti : water sampling in this system is done twice yearly, if any outbreak sampling is done more frequently).


• Controlled well system (Sistem Telaga Terkawal) - not done anymore


• Rain water reservoir System (sistem tadahan air hujan) - not done anymore
  

2. Sanitation Project

• Building of flush toilet


• Sewerage system


• Solid waste disposal system

3. Maintenance, upgrading and replacing the above system

According to Mr. Kamarudin, a budget of RM 114000 is allocated annually to this unit to carry out their activities.

When a request is made by villager is for subsidised their sanitation system. BAKAS unit first registers the request and will decide whether or not to give the subsidy. It is given based on three criterion:

• family below poverty line (PPRT)
  
• disable people
  
• single mother

After the briefing, we went to a village in Bedong where BAKAS unit had built a sullage system and pit latrine for the village houses there. This visit was to survey and to make sure that the project has been completed.

Water sullage system.


Water sullage cok.

In the sullage system, a sink is built outside the house and the sullage is connected outside into a hole called 'cok'. The 'cok' is the comes in various size but normally is 3 feet x 3 feet cylinder. The bottom end of the cylinder cok is open but the top is covered with a cement cover which has a hole in the centre of the circle for future suction. This cok is burried into the water-absorbedable-earth up to the level just before the cover. A pipe from sink is attached on feet below to the cover onto the body of the cylinder. Water with small wasteis release out from the sink and enter into the cok and in turn it is absorbed into the soil while for the pit latrine, the human waste is collected into a similar cok. Once the pit latrine is full, a new set of pit latrine will be done but for the water sullage cok, the waste will be sucked out through the small 2 inches in diameter hole in the center of the cover. New water sullage system is made if frequent spills occur.

Pit latrine at the back of toilet.

After the field work, we had a small photo taking session before taking off.

Photo session.

About 2.30p.m. we gathered at the maternal and child health unit and we were greeted by Sister Zainab. She then introduced us to her other staffs. Sister Ponnu then took over the session to brief us on antenatal and postnatal checkup.

The maternal and child health clinic in the Kuala Muda district is open from Sunday to Wednesday. Some of the services provided in this clinic include:
- antenatal and postnatal checkups
- pap smear
- vaccination

Other than this the nurses in the clinic also goes for home visits. Normally 4 visits are done if there are no any complications during the pregnancy. In case of any complications then more number of home visits is done. The pregnant mother also requires coming for her antenatal checkup in the health clinic. During her first 28 weeks of pregnancy she has to visit the clinic once a month while from the 28-36 week she has to come once in 2 weeks and after the 36 week of pregnancy she has to come weekly for follow up.

Reported by Rathna