By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: Enduring a 10-hour intercontinental journey to accompany a Sri Lankan patient who was repatriated to her home country for continued treatment was no ordinary trip.
However, as a professional medical worker, it was a journey filled with challenges and required strong mental and physical endurance from Mazhar Khadir.
Mazhar, who is also the founder and owner of the ambulance service provider MK Ambulance Service (MK Ambulance) in Ipoh, was entrusted by Kuala Lumpur Hospital to carry out the mission.
His task was to accompany a Sri Lankan woman who sustained injuries after being involved in a workplace accident, leaving her with difficulty in movement.
The long journey began in Kuala Lumpur, where the patient and Mazhar boarded a flight to Sri Lanka that took approximately three hours.
The real challenge, however, began upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
From there, the journey continued by ambulance, involving a land trip of about seven hours to Badulla Hospital, Sri Lanka.
Mazhar, who has experience accompanying patients to several neighboring countries such as Indonesia and Thailand, admitted that this journey was among the most challenging of his career.
“Although this is not my first time accompanying a patient, this 10-hour journey was an extraordinarily challenging experience.
“It required a high level of endurance, both physically and mentally,” said Mazhar.
In addition to monitoring the patient, Mazhar’s responsibilities included ensuring that the patient’s condition remained stable throughout the journey.
As a registered paramedic, he also ensured that all medical procedures were carried out with great care, including providing emergency treatment if necessary.
“For every patient undergoing a long journey like this, it is very important to be accompanied by a doctor or a registered medical professional such as a nurse.
“An unstable patient requires continuous attention,” he added.
The trust placed in him by the hospital not only reflects the credibility of MK Ambulance, but also Mazhar’s expertise in handling high-pressure and high-risk situations.
“This is an experience I will never forget. As an ambulance operator, we do not merely provide transportation services—we are also responsible for the safety and well-being of the patients we accompany,” Mazhar explained.
