Well-equipped fleet and manpower to boost ambulance service

Star: An efficient ambulance service can save lives, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek who wants the 127 government hospitals to focus on enhancing the service.
He said the ambulances were part of the services provided by the hospitals and they played a very important role in an emergency.
He said each ambulance should be equipped with a driver, medical assistant, nurse and doctor, as well as medical aid.
Dr Chua said 112 of the 869 ambulances in the country would be replaced.
Some 300 ambulances that are over five years old will be refurbished and upgraded, he told reporters after visiting the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital here yesterday.
Dr Chua said of the 864 health clinics in the country, 224 had no ambulance service and had to use mini-buses or four-wheel drives converted into ambulances.
He said this led to complaints that some ambulances were not fully equipped, as people did not realise that the vehicles were not meant to be ambulances.
He added that RM40mil was spent this year to purchase 197 new ambulances.
Dr Chua said ambulance control and despatch centres had been set up in Batu Pahat, Malacca, Ipoh, Penang, Kangar, Klang and Temerloh.