The Ministry of Health (MOH) will review and audit the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) in Sarawak while putting alternative healthcare arrangements in place for about 14,830 residents affected by the temporary suspension of the service.
The suspension involves seven FDS teams serving 85 remote localities. MOH said it was taking steps to minimise the impact on healthcare access while prioritising the safety and welfare of its personnel.
As part of the interim measures, the ministry is reassessing healthcare coverage for each locality based on accessibility and local conditions, including the use of land and water transport as alternatives to FDS.
However, these options will only be deployed after risk assessments have determined that routes, travel times, weather conditions and vehicles are safe for healthcare personnel.
For communities facing more severe geographical and infrastructure constraints, MOH is coordinating specific logistical arrangements. Pa Tik, for example, can require up to two days of walking from Bario Health Clinic, while access to Ba Itam, Ba Abang and Long Tebangan from Long Bedian Health Clinic can take between four and 10 hours due to damaged routes and collapsed bridges.
Given the challenges in these areas, MOH will also strengthen coordination with the Fire and Rescue Department and Malaysian Armed Forces for high-risk locations and emergency medical evacuations (MEDEVAC).
Meanwhile, the ministry said the duration of the FDS suspension would depend on the outcome of the official investigation into the incident.
At the same time, MOH is conducting a comprehensive audit covering the mapping of service locations, the service operator’s compliance with operational standards and the psychosocial support available to FDS personnel.
The ministry said FDS operations would only resume once it was satisfied that the service’s operational capabilities and delivery system were safe.
MOH said the measures were aimed at ensuring continued access to healthcare through a phased, risk-based approach, while safeguarding the safety of both healthcare personnel and patients.
