Resolution in sight for Daro Hospital ambulance debacle – with mechanics

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THANK you to your team for publishing the story about Daro Hospital’s predicament in The Borneo Post. The state health director has since responded.

As a result of your story, Daro Hospital will get two ambulances.

According to the hospital director, Mukah Hospital has agreed to lend one of its ambulances and one ambulance will be donated by the Methodist Church. He also said Daro Hospital will get two new ambulances by January next year. Thanks to the Methodist Church for the kind donation.

On a quote in the story saying that the contract company, which provides maintenance and services for the ambulances, renting either private vans or ambulances to provide the necessary support services to the hospital and footing the costs, the statement is actually incorrect.

In fact the contract company only pays the charter van for the first trip to Sibu Hospital. The second and subsequent trips are borne by the hospital. I was informed it costs RM500 per trip. On a busy day, they make two to three trips to Sibu. Imagine how much money or expenses are borne by the hospital. That money should be used for something else that is beneficial for the hospital or patients, such as buying new medical equipment.

Improper management by the company is also believed to have contributed to this ambulance problem. According to ambulance drivers, there are no qualified in-house mechanics to look after the ambulances.

As we know, not all people with cameras are photographers, and just because someone knows how to use a screwdriver or spanner, doesn’t mean he is a mechanic. I reckon this could be because they want to cut costs.

Last year, Daro Hospital did request to borrow ambulances from Sibu Hospital and ambulances were sent twice but both were old and rickety. Those two ambulances could only be used for a while before they broke down. The company refused to repair the ambulances because they did not belong to Daro Hospital. As a result, Sibu Hospital then refused to lend any more of its ambulances.

It is understood that some commercial vans or unlicensed van owners also refused to allow their vans for use to transfer patients due to frequent late payments by the company. Some payments are said to have been delayed for up to six months.

Thus when the new ambulances arrive, improper maintenance and management by the company will only cause a vicious cycle and the problem would recur in future.

 

Thanks,

Concerned Citizen