PETALING JAYA, Dec 31 —The Health Ministry will not be looking into the purported delays of medical evacuation (medevac) for two mothers on Sunday as their safety and lives were not compromised.
Its deputy director-general (medical), Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran said a meeting was held to discuss the need for action to be taken against “nonchalant” attitude of those causing the medevac delay because of VIP visits.
“There will be emergency cases throughout requiring immediate attention and we are doing our best,” he said in response to a statement by Dr Afiq Rahim, of the Badang health clinic in Kelantan, on Sunday.
Dr Jeyaindran said the ministry had deployed more than 200 medical staff to Kelantan.
“The two cases were isolated cases as all calls for the medevac team have been responded to in a timely basis and both mothers are now safe.”
Dr Afiq told Malay Mail he faced delays on the medevac required for two mothers with labour complications.
“The hospital staff seemed nonchalant when told about the patient’s condition and it was only when I persisted with numerous calls that the rescue team was sent,” he said.
He was told the delays were caused by official visits to the flooded areas.
Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr H. Krishna Kumar echoed Dr Jeyaindran’s sentiment.
“We are in an emergency situation and a two-hour delay is fair considering the poor weather conditions,” he said.
He said normal circumstances could not be applied in this case as the emergency response team at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian was coordinating and deploying help as best as it could.
“They are faced with requests from not just one district but for the whole state while also acting as a flood relief shelter for the victims,” he said.
“Although in normal circumstances a patient’s life is given priority over official visits, there would have been a valid reason for the delay.”
