KUCHING: Two critically ill patients were airlifted from Miri to Kuching in a MEDEVAC mission by the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) on Tuesday (Nov. 10).
The patients, who were receiving treatment at Miri Hospital, required specialised medical attention unavailable at the hospital and were transferred to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further treatment.
They comprised a 17-year-old boy diagnosed with a C2 fracture dislocation with acute neurological complications, and an elderly woman suffering from severe ascending cholangitis.
The department said the transfer was initially scheduled for last Monday (Nov. 9), following a request from Miri Hospital, but had to be postponed due to unfavourable weather conditions along the Miri-Kuching flight route.
On Tuesday, the Sarawak Regional Air Unit deployed a Mi-171 helicopter from its Miri airbase at 9.52 am, arriving at Kuching International Airport at 12.57 pm.
Both patients were accompanied by medical personnel throughout the flight before being handed over to SGH personnel for further care.
The operation was led by Senior Fire Superintendent Sofian Ahmed @ Ibrahim, with 10 aircrew members and two medical officers on board.
Bomba said the first patient was in critical condition and required urgent further assessment and specialised treatment, making air transportation the most suitable option to minimise the risk of clinical deterioration caused by delays.
Meanwhile, the elderly woman required continuous monitoring during the transfer as she was receiving oxygen support through nasal prongs at three litres per minute and was haemodynamically unsupported.
The department stated that the Mi-171 helicopter’s capacity to accommodate up to 19 passengers and three patient beds had played a significant role in enabling both patients to be transported in a single mission.
