T.N. ALAGESH
PEKAN: Riding at the back of a 4-wheel-drive vehicle through a badly-flooded area was among the challenges faced by three nurses who went to the rescue of two Orang Asli women at Kampung Permatang Siput near Temai here on Friday.
The trio – Noorhidayah Abd Halim, 28, Zuhana Ariffin, 33 and Sarina Hashim, 41 – from the Permatang Rumbia health clinic were tasked with evacuating the two heavily-pregnant women from the settlement, which was cut off after access roads were submerged by floodwaters.
A villager drove the nurses in the uncomfortable 4WD to the settlement down the flooded access road, as an ambulance waited some 5km near the main road.
The Orang Asli women – Zulaiha Solek, 26, and Mestikah Merah, 29 – were brought out of the settlement at 4.30pm and taken by ambulance to the Pekan Hospital.
Sarina said they were alerted to the emergency situation when floods struck the settlement, and a decision was made to evacuate the women as a precaution.
"This is a normal procedure for high-risk pregnancies, especially in this case, where both women are in their last trimester of pregnancy. We were concerned when their homes were cut off by the floods. But now, it will be easier for medical staff to monitor their conditions,” she added.
The veteran nurse said that ensuring the wellbeing of those in need of medical care during floods is part of her job remit, and making her way to submerged or cut-off areas is routine.
"Reaching out to victims in flood-hit areas is part of our job, as we need to make sure patients receive the care they require," Sarina added.