LAHAD DATU: The capability of healthcare workers to provide treatment in highly challenging situations continues to be strengthened through the organisation of the Island Survival and Remote Medical Responder Course 2026, which equips participants with life-saving skills for rural areas, isolated islands and resource-limited locations.
A total of 32 participants from across the country, as well as several foreign nations, took part in the three-day course held on Tabawan Island, Darvel Bay, recently.
The programme was conducted by 12 experienced instructors and facilitators specialising in emergency medicine, wilderness medicine, bushcraft and search and rescue operations.
The course was organised by the Wilderness EMS Sabah Team and the Emergency and Trauma Department of Lahad Datu Hospital, in collaboration with the Wilderness and Austere Medicine Society (WAMS) Malaysia, the Wilderness Medicine Special Interest Group under the College of Emergency Physicians Malaysia (MyCEP), the Malaysia Instructor of Bushcraft and Survival Association (MIBSA), the Survival Instructor World Association (SIWA) and WildMed Solutions.
Unlike conventional medical training, the course exposed participants to an approach that combines emergency treatment with survival skills, enabling them to remain functional in hard-to-reach environments with limited facilities and resources.
To simulate real-world field conditions, participants were provided with only limited food rations throughout the training.
Participants also learnt techniques for building shelters, sourcing and treating water to make it safe for drinking, identifying food sources in the forest and sea, using a compass and Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation, and mastering communication methods in areas without telecommunication coverage.
The medical training encompassed the management of various emergencies, including heatstroke, hypothermia, snakebites, trauma injuries, near-drownings, prolonged field care and casualty rescue operations in remote areas.
Lahad Datu Hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Department Head Dr Muis Takim said Lahad Datu Hospital had been committed to developing emergency medical training for wilderness, rural and low-resource settings since 2015.
He said Lahad Datu’s geographical location — surrounded by forests, islands, waters and remote settlements — made the district an ideal location for developing expertise in wilderness medicine.
“Continuous training not only enhances the capability of healthcare workers to face operational challenges in Sabah, but also prepares them to participate in humanitarian missions, disaster management and rescue operations nationwide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wilderness, Emergency and Extreme Medicine Fellow Dr Muhamad Na’im Ab Razak said personnel serving in rural areas required more than clinical skills, as they often faced constraints involving basic amenities and access to assistance.
He explained that the ability to sustain treatment without electricity, oxygen, medications or full medical equipment was a crucial aspect of ensuring patients continued to receive care until help arrived.
He added that evacuating a patient from a rural area could take hours or even days, depending on weather conditions, terrain and available transport options, making mastery of the prolonged field care concept vital. He also emphasised that the skills to secure clean water, food and shelter from the elements helped ensure both patient safety and the operational survival of the rescue team.
“Climate change, the rise in outdoor recreational activities, natural disasters and operations in remote areas contribute to a growing demand for personnel with expertise in wilderness medicine.
“Although the training was conducted in hot weather, hilly terrain and through continuous operational simulations, the entire programme was successfully carried out safely,” he said.
A few participants sustained minor injuries, including burns, eye injuries, scratches, sprains and muscle aches, before receiving immediate treatment from the medical team on the ground, followed by outpatient care at Lahad Datu Hospital.
The organisers hope that such courses can be continued and expanded to support the professional development of healthcare workers, rescue personnel, uniformed bodies and outdoor enthusiasts, thereby strengthening the nation’s preparedness to respond to emergencies in rural and challenging environments.
