The Star

Friday, 24/06/2011

‘Flying ambulances’ planned

The Health Ministry is mulling over the possibility of providing air ambulance service in rural areas, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said the Government was working to improve medical services in these areas, adding that the ministry had already converted a boat to be used as a 1Malaysia mobile clinic along Baram River and was also looking at extending the service to the Rajang River in Sarawak.

He also said plans were afoot to upgrade cancer treatment services at Ipoh Hospital so that patients need not travel too far for treatment.

“We will see how treatment for cancer patients can be enhanced,” Liow said to points raised during the debate on allocations for the Health Ministry.

Liow was responding to Fong Po Kuan, who asked why there was no cancer treatment facility at Ipoh Hospital.

Datuk Mohamed Aziz said the ministry deserved a higher budget allocation to improve services at public hospitals.

“The services at government hospitals are improving and on par with that provided by private hospitals,” he said.

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