LANGKAWI: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today inspected two 5G demonstration projects at the Sultanah Maliha Hospital here, where test runs of the technology are underway.
He was accompanied by Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
After arriving at the hospital at 3.15pm, the Prime Minister spent 30 minutes observing the demonstrations of two projects: remote medical consultations and ambulances equipped with the fifth-generation technology.
The ambulance project, which has received the support of telecommunications company Digi, saw the hospital’s emergency and trauma department demonstrating how 5G technology facilitates data transfer in real time to speed up diagnoses using electrocardiogram (ECG) and ultrasound machines in ambulances.
Dr Mahathir then observed a remote medical consultation undertaken between a medical practitioner at the hospital and a medical officer at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star, on the treatment of a road crash victim.
This second project is being undertaken with the support of telecommunications company U-mobile and its telemedicine partner, MedCom.
The commercialisation of 5G technology is scheduled to be launched in the third quarter of this year, and will not only redefine connectivity in Malaysia, but also positively impact the economy and elevate the country as one of the 5G pioneers in the Asean region.
The two demonstrations at the hospital are part of a medley of 5G projects underway in Langkawi, and the 5G initiative in its entirety will be launched by the Prime Minister later tonight.