LAWRENCE ANG Subang Jaya Probe the activities of private ambulances

I HAVE been a regular patient at Universiti Malaya Hospital since 2012. While waiting for my appointment, I have noticed private ambulances bringing patients to the hospital’s emergency section. The ambulances are very colourful and the personnel wear very bright uniforms.

I was taken to the hospital’s emergency department once in 2014 in a private ambulance (called by a maternity doctor) after I suffered a heart attack while having breakfast at a food court in Subang Jaya.

That particular ambulance was manned by a male driver and a lady assistant who sat with me. As there was no medical equipment in the ambulance, I did not receive any medical attention.

However, the lady asked me to pay RM250 for the use of the ambulance while en route to the hospital. I was shocked but had no choice as she had a receipt in her hand and was waiting for the cash.

Are these ambulances legal and approved by the Health Ministry? Are their personnel medically qualified to render assistance to the patients they are ferrying to the hospital? Shouldn’t the ambulances carry at least vital equipment such as oxygen tank and blood pressure kits? Shouldn’t the personnel (at least the one sitting with the patient) be a medically qualified person?

Could the Health Ministry or any other authority clarify the above? If the answer is in the negative, could they explain why no positive steps are being taken to ensure the safety of patients travelling in those ambulances?

As precaution is better than cure, shouldn’t the problems be nipped in the bud? There is no use forming a task force to investigate the matter only after a tragedy has happened.

The only benefit to the patient is the speedy transport to the hospital as the ambulances use a siren.