By Doreen Ling
KUCHING, Oct 20: Only 16 out of 85 localities in Sarawak remain entirely dependent on the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) for healthcare access, as improved road and river connectivity has reduced reliance on the service.
According to Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Government Sarawak Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, 69 localities can now be reached via off-road or river routes.
He said the federal government was currently drafting comprehensive proposals to improve operational safety, the suitability of air assets, and personnel welfare following the helicopter crash in Long Lellang that led to the temporary suspension of the FDS.
“The federal government aims to ensure equitable, consistent and uninterrupted healthcare access across all affected regions,” he said in his ministerial winding-up speech during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.
Dr Sim added that mobile healthcare delivery will adapt to ongoing infrastructure improvements, shifting to land routes as the Sarawak government expands road connectivity.
The FDS provides healthcare access to remote communities where conventional medical services are hard to reach, particularly in Sarawak’s interior. — DayakDaily
