In a heartrending event underscoring the crucial need for road awareness, a life was tragically lost due to the delayed arrival of an ambulance at Sri Aman Hospital II.
This delay was a result of an SUV driver’s failure to yield, significantly impacting emergency response time.
Obstructed Ambulance Leads to Tragedy
As reported by Sin Chew Daily, the Sri Aman Police District Chief, Deputy Superintendent Matthew, stated that the incident occurred on January 5 at about 3 PM on the Pan Borneo Highway, 6 kilometres from Sri Aman towards Kuching.
A Perodua Kembara SUV obstructed an ambulance, despite active sirens and other vehicles making way. This obstruction caused a significant delay in the ambulance reaching the hospital.
Following a complaint filed the previous day, the police located and fined the SUV driver under the 1959 Road Traffic Act for not yielding to the ambulance.
Concurrently, social media buzzed with rumours that the ambulance’s delay resulted in the patient’s death. However, Deputy Superintendent Matthew clarified that no official report confirming this was received from the hospital or the family.
Social Media Uproar
A hospital staff member, Jerry, highlighted the incident on Facebook, uploading a dashcam video showing the Kembara driver’s noncompliance.
Jerry emphasized the urgency of the situation, with medical staff performing CPR on the patient en route to Sri Aman Hospital II.
His post urged road users to prioritize emergency vehicles, reminding them of the potential personal impact.
Family Responds with Grace
Annie Andrew, the deceased patient’s wife, voiced her grief and frustration on social media. Highlighting the preciousness of every second in emergencies, her message resonated deeply, considering her and her husband’s young children.
In a later development, she disclosed an apology from the SUV driver’s child, acknowledging their father’s hearing impairment.
While accepting the apology, Annie underscored the necessity for drivers with impairments affecting their driving to take necessary precautions, as the family knew the driver had been facing hearing issues since 2017.
She appealed that they should have prevented him from driving or made him wear a hearing aid. Otherwise, he might face other problems or even pose a danger to others. She hopes such incidents do not happen again.
The hospital has not released a formal statement as of the latest update.
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