PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry today clarified reports that it had purchased ambulances worth RM400 million in total.
In a statement today, the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min said the procurement of 500 ambulances were only worth RM225.2 million.
“Half of them (ambulances) were equipped with the latest medical devices, such as advanced cardiac care devices, portable ventilators, portable medical suction units, foldable stretchers with safety belts, syringe perfusion pumps and vital sign monitors,” he added.
Since 2010, a total of 925 ambulances have been procured by the ministry, valued at nearly RM389 million, Dr Chen said.
He also hoped that irresponsible parties would stop spinning facts to confuse the people.
On Monday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam was quoted as saying that the ministry has started distributing ambulances to hospitals in the country beginning this month, involving a total allocation of RM400 million.