By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 9: The Flying Doctor Services (FDS) will continue operating despite yesterday’s helicopter crash in Long Lellang, given its vital role in ensuring access to healthcare for communities in the Sarawak’s remotest areas, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said there was no need to suspend the service, which forms an important component of efforts to provide universal healthcare coverage, particularly to people living in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
“We will continue. There is no need (to suspend the service). The FDS provides universal health coverage, so we will continue and strengthen it,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
Also present were Health director-general Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab and deputy health director-general (Public Health) Dr Ismuni Bohari.
Elaborating on FDS operations, Dr Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health (MOH) did not own helicopter assets for the service, but instead operated FDS through a contractual leasing arrangement that also covered maintenance.
He said the ministry also took into account input from the relevant authorities on technical and aviation safety matters before making decisions on the use of helicopter assets for FDS operations.
Dr Dzulkefly confirmed that the healthcare personnel who died in yesterday’s crash were carrying out routine FDS duties when the incident occurred.
On flight approvals for FDS operations, Dr Mahathar said every aircraft or helicopter movement had to comply with prescribed safety procedures before permission to fly could be granted.
He said approval for a flight was subject to the relevant agencies and did not fall under the jurisdiction of the MOH.
“Whether permission to fly is granted or not is subject to approval by the relevant agencies, not the MOH,” he said.
Dr Mahathar said FDS operations comprised several components, including scheduled services conducted periodically based on the needs of rural communities, as well as emergency medical evacuation (medevac) missions to transport critically ill patients for treatment.
He said medevac missions would continue whenever there was an urgent need to transport patients, subject to flight approval based on safety assessments and prevailing weather conditions.
“However, as for scheduled services, the MOH will review the matter and, from time to time, provide input to the team on the ground,” he said.
A pilot and four MOH personnel were confirmed dead after the BO-105 helicopter operated for Flying Doctor Services crashed near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport) in Marudi, yesterday (Sept 8). — DayakDaily
