Kota Kinabalu: A 106-member Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) team, including 14 medical specialists, will be deployed to Turkiye early this (Friday) morning to set up a field hospital, following the earthquake that hit the country three days ago.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the team will be moved to Turkiye along with equipment of three mobile halls used for emergencies and one mobile operating theatre.
He said ATM received an application from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) regarding the issue (field hospital).
“After consulting with the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, we decided to move the team. The field hospital will operate for six weeks,” he said after visiting the Lok Kawi Camp (Brigade 5 headquarters), here, Thursday.
Mohamad said two flights carrying 44 tonnes of assets and supplies were scheduled to depart from the Subang Air Base at 2am today (Friday).
He said hospital equipment would be delivered in stages and the field hospital in question is the same as the facility established by ATM during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mohamad said his Ministry presently still did not know the location of the field hospital because the disaster involved a large area, and will leave it to the Turkish government to determine its appropriate location.
“What is important is that we want all the teams sent there to be able to complete the mission safely. We know that there will be aftershocks, so they have to be careful,” he added.
On his working visit to Sabah, Mohamad said it was to inspect the facilities of the army camp on the West Coast of Sabah and to examine the state of operation and readiness of ATMs and Ministry of Defence employees.
“I have visited the Eastern Fleet (TLDM) base in Sepanggar and I am satisfied with their operations. The base is relatively new and there are no problems in terms of buildings. However, there is a slight delay in the allocation to maintain the assets and we will resolve that immediately.
“I also visited the Lok Kawi Camp and we are aware that this camp has been around for a long time and that many problems have arisen especially infrastructure. So we will try to upgrade anything that is worn out because we want the officers on duty to be in comfort,” he said.
He has also asked the camp to prepare a working paper for the purpose of relocating the clinic within the camp area.
“The clinic is flooded with every heavy rainfall. Therefore, it will be moved to an existing building that is vacant, but we want to see a working paper first and I think the Ministry has no problem with the matter (of relocation),” he said.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
