JOHOR BARU: Malaysia plans to deploy 35 medical officers to Myanmar to help set up a field hospital following the recent earthquake, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said the team from the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) will be deployed upon getting the green light from Myanmar.
He said the objective of setting up a field hospital there is to provide orthopaedic and trauma treatment as well as emergency surgery for earthquake victims.
“The medical officers will also take the opportunity to conduct capacity-building for local healthcare teams,” he told reporters after launching the BHPetrol Bandar Seri Alam station here yesterday.
Asked about the capacity of the field hospital, Mohamed Khaled said this is pending feedback from Myanmar, as other countries will also be sending assistance to help the victims.
“We will see how we can cooperate with the other teams.
“In terms of the location of the field hospital, our request is to ensure the safety of our medical officers, even though a temporary truce has been called after the earthquake,” he said, referring to the civil war in that country.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said he had tabled a proposal during the last Cabinet meeting to set up a field hospital in Myanmar and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had agreed in principle to proceed with the matter.
Mohamad said it is up to the Health Ministry and the Armed Forces to work on setting up the hospital, which will have some 30 beds and operating rooms, including X-ray and other facilities.
The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 killed 3,689 people. Thousands were injured and left homeless.
Two million people are in critical need of assistance and protection, according to the United Nations.
Aftershocks were recorded subsequently in Myanmar, including a 5.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the central province on Friday.
