Air Doctor, Medic Boat 8 Bring Healthcare Closer To Orang Asli Communities

By Nur Aina Syazwina Badrul Hisham

IPOH, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- For Orang Asli communities living in remote areas, accessing healthcare remains a challenge. The Air Doctor Service (PDU) and Medic Boat 8 have become vital lifelines, bringing medical care closer and supporting patient referrals for those in hard-to-reach areas.

Kinta PDU medical officer Dr Murnirah Abd Rahman said the service was established to bring healthcare facilities directly to Orang Asli communities in areas that are difficult to reach by road.

“PDU was previously under the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) before being taken over by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2012.

“The service targets Orang Asli communities in remote areas where land access remains challenging and ground-based teams face difficulties reaching them,” she told reporters during the Health Expedition with Media programme organised by MOH recently.

Kinta PDU currently covers 12 Orang Asli villages across three districts and states, involving four villages in Hulu Perak, seven in Gua Musang, Kelantan, and one in Cameron Highlands, Pahang.

Each village receives regular clinic visits every four weeks, providing outpatient treatment, maternal and child healthcare, screening and follow-up care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), infectious disease screening, as well as referrals for emergency and semi-emergency cases.

Meanwhile, PDU pilot Captain Fairul Mohd Shukor, who has been assigned to the service since 2023, said the aircraft can accommodate six people, including the pilot.

“The aircraft carries five PDU personnel and can transport supplies weighing up to 200 kilogrammes,” he said.

To support patient referrals from these areas, Medic Boat 8 serves as a medical transport facility from Kemar Health Clinic (KK) in Gerik to external healthcare facilities, including hospitals.

From January to June 2026, 105 patients were referred from Kemar KK using the boat, which is deployed between three and five times a week depending on emergency needs.

Kemar KK medical officer Dr Mohd Lokman Mohd Hawari said patient evacuation from the area involved both water and land routes.

“Compared with ordinary passenger boats, Medic Boat 8 has space for patients to lie down, providing greater comfort and privacy during transportation,” he said.

-- BERNAMA