Kuala Lumpur: The Flying Doctor Services (FDS) operation will continue despite yesterday’s helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Sarawak, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic).
He said there was no need to suspend the service as it played an important role in ensuring access to healthcare services, particularly for communities in rural 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 said at a press conference here today.
Also present at the press conference were Health director-general Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab and deputy health director-general (Public Health) Dr Ismuni Bohari.
Elaborating on FDS operations, Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health (MOH) did not own its own helicopter assets to operate the service, but instead provided it through a contractual leasing arrangement that also covered maintenance.
Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said the MOH always takes into account input from the authorities on technical and aviation safety aspects before making any decision on the use of helicopter assets for FDS.
He also confirmed that the healthcare personnel who died in the helicopter crash were carrying out routine FDS duties when the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, when asked about flight approval for FDS operations, Dr Mahathar said every movement of an aircraft or helicopter must comply with the prescribed safety procedures before permission to fly is granted.
He said the decision on whether a flight is allowed to operate is subject to approval by the relevant agencies and does 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.
Elaborating, Dr Mahathar explained that FDS operations comprise several components, including scheduled services carried out periodically according to the needs of residents in rural areas, as well as emergency medical evacuation (medevac) services to transport critically ill patients for treatment.
He said medevac missions would continue to be carried out whenever there was an urgent need to transport patients, subject to flight approval after taking into account 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 flying doctor services helicopter they were travelling in crashed near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (Stolport) in Ulu Baram, Sarawak, yesterday.
