Two new copters for flying doctors

Star: MIRI: The flying doctor service in Sarawak and Sabah has literally reached new heights.
New aircraft have been obtained for this vital healthcare and medical provision, a service that the Health Ministry provides free of charge for more than one million rural folk in both states.
Layang-Layang Aerospace, the aviation company contracted by the ministry to handle this service, has bought two new helicopters.
The company yesterday unveiled the twin-engine BO-105 Bolkow helicopters designed and manufactured in Germany.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu “blessed” the new helicopters, witnessed by senior officials of the aviation company during a ceremony.
Jabu was told during a briefing that the company had spent RM5mil on each helicopter, including RM2mil to fit each of them with medical equipment to treat patients inside remote jungles and mountain settlements and to fly patients to urban centres in emergency cases.
Jabu, who is also State Rural Development Minister and State Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister, said the state government was pleased to note that the aviation company had taken steps to upgrade its fleet of aircraft.
He said the flying doctor service was an indispensable part of the healthcare and medical service in rural Sabah and Sarawak because many places were inaccessible by road or river transport.