SANDAKAN: Malaysian Red Crescent Society (PBSM) Sandakan has received a new ambulance to assist patients and individuals requiring medical transport services in the district.
The ambulance was donated by Allianz Insurance during a handover ceremony held in conjunction with World Red Cross Day celebrations here recently.
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PBSM Sandakan chairman Josie Pang Yuk Yen thanked the donor, volunteers, agencies, and members of the public who have continuously supported the organisation.
She said the ambulance symbolised hope, teamwork, and humanitarian spirit, and would help transport and transfer patients in need of medical assistance and emergency support.
At the same event, PBSM Sandakan officially launched its Long-Distance Patient Transfer Programme (3PJJ).
Josie said the programme was introduced to address the difficulties faced by many families in Sandakan, especially patients who have stabilised but still require follow-up treatment or referrals to hospitals in Kota Kinabalu.
She said the newly received Ambulance B would be used for the programme and would begin operations in June.
According to her, the programme is guided by four main principles, namely non-profit service, community-based support, needs-based assistance, and professionalism.
She stressed that the service is not profit-oriented, with payments treated as minimum contributions to cover fuel, road tax, and ambulance maintenance costs.
Families facing financial hardship may also undergo welfare assessments to ensure patients are not denied treatment due to financial constraints, she added.
“All applications will be reviewed carefully and subject to approval by the PBSM executive committee after investigation, with advice from an advisory panel before a final decision is made,” she said.
Josie also said the service would focus only on stable patient transfers and would not handle 999 emergency cases to avoid disrupting emergency operations under the Ministry of Health Malaysia.
She added that every application would require proper screening, verification by a doctor, signed consent forms from family members, and official receipts for all contributions received.
Members of the public seeking further information can contact PBSM Sandakan at 011-3952 0028.
