SIBU: Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah has advised parents to seek assistance from the nearest clinic or hospital if their child is in need of immediate medical attention.
“When your child is sick, please go to the nearest hospital so that you know what happens (to the child), seek treatment and leave it to the specialist to decide on the next step.
“The doctor will decide where they (child) should go next if the hospital has no specialist or lacks equipment to provide treatment,” she said told the media today (Dec 9) regarding a viral video of a nine-month old baby who died while traveling with the mother to seek medical treatment in Kuching.
In the viral video last Monday (Dec 5), it is understood that the mother wanted to bring her sick baby to a hospital in Kuching from their small town in Julau. However, as they were on their way to the hospital, the baby was weak and already lifeless when they stopped at a rest area in Jelukong.
Fatimah pointed out that usually if a baby is referred to the nearest hospital and the doctors are unable to provide the necessary treatment they would help transfer the patient to another hospital such as the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
“In one case in Mukah for instance, the baby was born with a lot of complications. A specialist and a doctor referred the mother and child to SGH and they were transported there by a helicopter.
“I am not sure what happened here… We have heard of flying doctor’s service and so on. If it is a serious case, the doctor or nurses must accompany them.
“In this case, many unanswered questions remain,” said Fatimah, who was not aware of the matter as she had just returned from London after attending the London Design Award ceremony.
