Ong Wee CheeFebruary 20, 2021Medical Repatriations Amid Border Closure

Travelling between countries during the COVID-19 pandemic is a daunting task. When you are critically ill in a foreign country and you need to travel back to your home country to continue your medical treatment, you have to find a way. 

Here at Across Asia Assist, we have invested in a fleet of ground ambulances under the brand name AAA Regal Ambulance. We operate 5 ambulances with a team of highly trained paramedics, operating throughout Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

We received several requests during this pandemic time. We were able to successfully carry out a medically supervised repatriation to transfer them back to their home countries despite the strict rules and regulations set by each country. Let us share with you a few interesting cases.

Case A: Singapore to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Patient is a foreign worker working in Singapore during Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO). Like many of the Malaysian workers in Singapore, coming back to Malaysia means they need to leave their job in Singapore. Patient is the breadwinner of the family and this is the last thing he wants.  

One day, tragedy struck. Patient was found unconscious in his workplace. His manager called for the Emergency Medical Services and Patient was quickly evacuated to the nearest hospital. Soon after, they found that he had a heart attack. The medical team immediately started the emergency treatment to stabilise him. After much diagnostic findings, the medical team told the Patient that he needs a coronary artery bypass graft or CABG.

As the procedure was not under the worker’s insurance coverage, Patient’s employer was asked to pay before the commencement of the procedure and the estimated medical costs was quite a hefty amount. Due to this and after much deliberation, Patient’s family members decided to send him back to Malaysia to continue his treatment. AAA Regal Ambulance was contacted to not only handle the medical repatriation but also to refer a suitable hospital in Johor Bahru that could accept and treat the Patient. This involved a lot of processes, from speaking to the medical team in Singapore and conveying the medical information to the specialist in Johor Bahru, arranging medical transportations on both ends and lastly, arranging immigrations clearance for both borders. 

Patient arrived safely at Malaysia Checkpoint via Singapore Emergency Ambulance. We took over, assessed him onboard and swiftly transported him to the receiving hospital in Johor Bahru. Patient is glad to be back in Malaysia for further treatment and his family was thankful that we could arrange the ground ambulance transfer swiftly and most importantly, safely. 

Case B: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Thailand

Patient, who is a Thai national working in Malaysia, contracted an infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit for a while. Once the medical team deemed that Patient was stable enough to be transported back to Thailand to continue her medical care, the Thailand Embassy was quickly notified. 

The Thailand Embassy reached out to us and requested for us to perform the ground ambulance medical repatriation. Our medical team gathered early in the morning at the Patient’s hospital to meet up with the personnel from the Thailand Embassy. As soon as the handover was completed, we immediately began our journey to the Thailand Border. 

Patient was very stable onboard the entire journey from Kuala Lumpur to the Thailand Checkpoint. After a 4-hours journey, we arrived at our destination and our Medical Director did a handover to the Thailand Hospital medical team who were there waiting for our arrival. 

Case C: Selangor, Malaysia to Singapore

Patient, who is a Singaporean, was in Malaysia visiting her family when she suffered from a stroke. The medical expenses came to a significant amount as she was warded in the Intensive Care Unit. In view of this, Patient’s family members have requested for Patient to be transferred back to Singapore for further treatment.

During the transfer from Malaysia to Singapore, Patient had a sudden minor anxiety attack. 

Our medical team tried their best to find ways to calm her down and eventually succeeded, using a very effective tool that we was not taught in medical school – the iPad! 

She watched several movies throughout the long journey. 

When we arrived at the hospital in Singapore, she held us back and repeatedly thank us for safely sending her back to Singapore. 

Travelling alone is one thing. Travelling back in an ambulance with people whom you have never met before coupled with being in a confined area, is nerve wrecking. Thanks to the quick thinking of our friendly medical team and an iPad that came in handy! 

We have assisted numerous patients who suffered medical emergencies abroad during this pandemic time. 

Arranging ground ambulance medical repatriation for long journey was never simple, but it was simpler before the Covid-pandemic. Today, travelling between borders is fluid with a lot of new rules and regulations to adhere to.  

Nevertheless, we are here to assist, no matter what the situation may be. Do visit us at www.regalambulance.com for more information about our services.