Anak Muda MADANI Kedah Plans To Expand Free Ambulance Service To More Districts

By Rhoma Ahmad Razali

KUALA NERANG, March 25 (Bernama) -- A non-governmental organisation, Anak Muda MADANI Kedah, plans to expand its free ambulance service to several other districts in the state following the encouraging response to the service in Padang Terap and Pendang.

Its chairman, Datuk Zuraidi Rahim, said this was deemed possible after the service successfully helped many residents in the two districts to obtain emergency transportation.

He said the facility was introduced to assist the community, particularly those in rural areas, to obtain patient transport services to hospitals without having to bear high costs.

“Ambulances from government hospitals or clinics are sometimes insufficient during emergency situations, while private ambulance services charge high fees depending on the distance.

“For low-income residents, especially those in rural areas, this situation can be burdensome if they require ambulance services to get to the hospital,” he told Bernama recently.

Zuraidi said the gradual expansion of the free ambulance service reflects Anak Muda MADANI Kedah’s commitment to addressing health needs as well as funeral management for the benefit of the local community.

The move is also in line with the role of non-governmental organisations in implementing welfare initiatives to assist the people, to complement the various forms of assistance provided by the government.

“If we have the means, we will add more ambulances so that more residents in need can use the service free of charge,” he said.

He added that apart from land ambulance services, the organisation also provides two water ambulances in Langkawi to facilitate the transport of patients and bodies from the resort island to the mainland and vice versa.

-- BERNAMA