Former patient helps to erase stigma against COVID-19

KUALA TERENGGANU: The 14-day experience when he was in quarantine for treatment after being diagnosed positive with COVID-19 last year has inspired Badrol Hisham Zaki, 52, to help others who are infected by the virus.

Given a clean bill of health and having recovered from the virus, he is now helping other COVID-19 patients and former patients by donating various necessities and sharing experiences.

He said there is still a stigma against COVID-19 patients.

"That's why every time I meet a person who has negative perception of COVID-19 patients, I will tell them my experience and how I went through the ordeal so that they can understand better and to support in whatever way they can, instead of saying bad things about them (patients) and their families.

"I do not want the bad experience my family and I went through after I was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Sept 25 last year to be experienced by others...even my wife's bakery business was also affected then.

“I hope what I’m doing can help to make the society more aware,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

Badrol Hisham, who is Terengganu Red Crescent (PBSM) deputy chairman, said recently, he was able to raise some donations, in the form of food items and disinfectant, from the Japan International Committee of the Red Cross and friends for more than 200 individuals who were in quarantine at a pondok institution.

"It touched my heart when informed that many students there had to undergo quarantine ... being in quarantine can affect their feelings and emotions as they could not carry out their daily routine activities. The donation is to cheer them up and to make them know that the society cares about them,” he added.

-- BERNAMA