St John Ambulance of Malaysia (SJAM) and Open University are planning to offer a Diploma in Pre-Hospital programme by January in a bid to address the country’s acute shortage of paramedics.
Apart from being the first of its kind in the country, this online programme is the first to be offered by the non-governmental organisation.
Currently, there are about 100 paramedics in the country, said SJAM Commander-in- Chief Datuk Dr Low Bin Tick.
He said the university would conduct the diploma’s theory syllabus, while the students would receive their skills training from the organisation.
SJAM and Open University are designing the syllabus, which will be submitted to the National Accreditation Board and Health Ministry for approval.
“There’s no point awarding a piece of paper if it’s not recognised by the board and ministry.
“We want our graduates to be employable,” he said after the annual marching inspection attended by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at Padang Polo yesterday.
Dr Low said they hope the programme would be subsequently developed into a degree.
On another matter, he said SJAM planned to raise RM1mil by December for the Sichuan Earthquake Rebuilding Fund to build an orphanage in Sichuan.
Earlier, Star Publications (M) Bhd executive director Datuk Seri Kamal M. Hashim presented a new ambulance to the SJAM Penang branch. The vehicle was bought from the proceeds collected at the Starwalk Carnival Charity Concert 2006.
The Star - 11 August 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Let NGOs take over ambulance service
The Government should privatise its emergency ambulance service at its hospitals and allow non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to take over the service to save costs. St John Ambulance of Malaysia commander-in-chief Datuk Dr Low Bin Tick said both the Government and the people stood to gain from the privatisation.
He pointed out that many hospitals lacked the staff to man their own emergency ambulance service, prompting them to turn to private ambulance services or NGOs.
Citing an example, he said that St John Ambulance had been running the emergency ambulance service for Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital for three years.
In exchange for RM130,000 a year, the organisation provided two ambulances and full-time staff, and paid for their own fuel and maintenance costs, said Dr Low.
He added that in Sabah, St John Ambulance had also been running the ambulance service for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital because the hospital’s own ambulances had broken down.
“The Government will find it much more economical and I don’t think the ambulance charges will go up if they were to privatise the service
“In fact, we charge half of what private ambulance service providers charge,” he said after St John Ambulance’s central area annual parade in Ipoh recently.
As a non-profit organisation, any money made would be channelled back into the service, said Dr Low.
He noted that he had first broached the idea to Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai in June when the latter launched the organisation’s 100th year commemorative coins.
Dr Low believed that the organisation, with its fleet of 90 ambulances operating on standby nationwide, had the experience and training to respond effectively during emergencies.
TheStar North 5 August 2008
He pointed out that many hospitals lacked the staff to man their own emergency ambulance service, prompting them to turn to private ambulance services or NGOs.
Citing an example, he said that St John Ambulance had been running the emergency ambulance service for Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital for three years.
In exchange for RM130,000 a year, the organisation provided two ambulances and full-time staff, and paid for their own fuel and maintenance costs, said Dr Low.
He added that in Sabah, St John Ambulance had also been running the ambulance service for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital because the hospital’s own ambulances had broken down.
“The Government will find it much more economical and I don’t think the ambulance charges will go up if they were to privatise the service
“In fact, we charge half of what private ambulance service providers charge,” he said after St John Ambulance’s central area annual parade in Ipoh recently.
As a non-profit organisation, any money made would be channelled back into the service, said Dr Low.
He noted that he had first broached the idea to Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai in June when the latter launched the organisation’s 100th year commemorative coins.
Dr Low believed that the organisation, with its fleet of 90 ambulances operating on standby nationwide, had the experience and training to respond effectively during emergencies.
TheStar North 5 August 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
SJAM 100 Years Celebration Programs
Below are the activities which will be held in conjunction with our 100 years anniversary celebration that was announced by SJAM National HQ.
- Gunung Kinabalu Hike : October 2008, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
- Emergency Health Care Competition : 20 August 2008, Penang
- MASS CPR : 30 November 2008, Throughout the country
- International St. John Ambulance Cadet Camp (ICC 2008) : 10 - 16 December 2008, Templer's Park, Rawang, Selangor.
- SJAM Review (National Level) : 14 December 2008, Kuala Lumpur. Rehersal 13 December 2008.
- National Conference : 11 & 12 December 2008, Kuala Lumpur.
- Grand Dinner In-Conjunction with SJAM 100 Years Celebration : 14 December 2008, Kuala Lumpur
Further details will be updated from time to time.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)