The Royal Medical Corps off to Turkey to aid quake victims

PUTATAN - The Armed Forces' Royal Medical Corps (KKD) will be mobilised to set up a field hospital in Turkey to aid the people affected by the earthquake disaster last Monday.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the operation was a follow-up to a request from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to the Armed Forces after negotiations with the Turkish embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have already mobilised the Medical Corps to send a field hospital team for the emergency room and operating room consisting of 106 staff and 41 doctors.

"The Chief of Army told me earlier that Turkey and Nadma requested that we send 60 search and rescue (SAR) members to help find the victims," he said in a press conference during his work visit to Lok Kawi Camp here on Thursday.

However, he said the location the team will be stationed at was still unknown and it was up to Turkey to decide according to their suitability and needs.

"We don't know because the area involved is too wide, so we leave it to the Turkey's government to decide where it is appropriate for our medical personnel to set up and manage the field hospital operations, just like how we did when the country was hit by the pandemic," he said.

Mohamad also said the team is expected to stay in Turkey for six weeks for the operation to help the victims.

"They are expected to depart at 2am but I cannot send them off as I am still here (Sabah).

"We pray that our members will carry out their duty to assists and care for those injured and hurt from the accidents in a safe condition and always be careful because earthquake will typically have more aftershocks," he said.