RM126.6 million spent on air doctor service in Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) – A total of RM126.6 million was spent on mobile health service in  Sarawak through air transport known as the Air Doctor Service (PDU) since 2010 until 2017.

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the PDU service benefited 22,113 residents in the interior of Sarawak where the nearest health facilities were difficult to reach by road and river.

“The cumulative arrival of clients from 2010 to 2017 for this service totalled 297,604 people, including new and repeated clients which incured an expenditure of around RM15.8 million annually,” he told the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

He was replying to a question from Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng (PH-Miri), who wanted to know the total allocation for PDU in Sarawak from 2010 to 2017 and the number of patients who had been treated during that period.

Dr Dzulkefly said there were nine PDU teams on standby to provide outpatient treatment, follow-up treatment on chronic diseases, infectious diseases detection, maternal and child health, health education, emergency case references and further treatment for certain cases in hospital.

In addition, he said the PDU also provided Medical Emergency Evacuation (MEDEVAC) from health clinics to hospital, PDU locations to hospital and between hospital to specialist hospital.

He said a total of  2,501 patients had used the MEDEVAC service from 2010 to 2017.

-- BERNAMA