Only 34pc of emergency ambulance calls reach scene in under 15 minutes, says health minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad disclosed during Question Time that only a mere 34.1% of emergency ambulance responses in Malaysia achieved the target time of under 15 minutes for critical cases last year, falling short of the government's 50% benchmark. Dzulkefly acknowledged the shortfall and stated that the ministry's director-general is spearheading a thorough review of the issue.

He emphasized that the nationwide achievement for these time-sensitive cases remained at 34.1% last year, which still fell below the set target. The minister, in collaboration with the Health director-general, is currently reviewing this matter as they have yet to meet their key performance indicator targets, which continue to pose a significant challenge.

Addressing the issue, the Health Minister pledged to take urgent steps to improve response efficiency. This includes upgrading Malaysia's NG-MERS 999 emergency coordination network, expanding the national ambulance fleet, and optimizing dispatch workflows in conjunction with emergency medicine specialists. Despite these efforts, the minister highlighted the urgent need for improvement in meeting the target time for critical cases.

Furthermore, Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias brought attention to a concerning incident in his constituency. He recounted an instance where a road crash victim had to wait nearly an hour for an ambulance, even though a healthcare facility was situated less than 500 meters away. Jalaluddin described the situation as highly worrying, noting that villagers had also been informed that medical officers could not attend nearby emergencies without an ambulance.