Military's involvement in field hospital in Turkiye boosts country's standing - Mohamad

Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the Malaysian Armed Forces' (MAF) six-week stint in providing medical assistance to earthquake victims have not been forgotten by Turkish leadership, especially its Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

"He (Hulusi) mentioned how happy they were several times that we came to provide aid and Malaysia was one of the first countries to send a search and rescue team and also build a field hospital there. The MAF carried out its mission properly and excellently," he said in a speech during the Operation Starlight II appreciation event at Wisma Perwira ATM here last night, in the presence of Chief of Defence Force Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang, Defense Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz and Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia Emir Salim Yuksel.

The field hospital started offering its level three medical services, including surgical procedures to locals as well as its Outreach Medical Programme by sending medical personnel to victims' homes for medical checks on Feb 15.

A total of 2,415 patients were treated, including 83 surgery cases, throughout the operations.

Capt Nur Hidayah Amran, 31, was one of the medical officers who joined the mission, and treated around 80 patients daily at the field hospital.

"The team faced difficulty with extreme cold weather that could reach -15 degrees Celsius and also several aftershocks that were so strong we had to pause our patients' treatments," he said.

Hospital Angkatan Tentera Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital surgical expert Dr A. Sivanathan, 39, said he managed to successfully conduct 40 minor operations during his time there.

"My first mission as a surgical expert, and I had many experiences, including sleeping in a room together with 25 of my medical brethren and suffering frostbite on my nose and ears due to cold weather," he said.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the south of Turkiye and northwest Syria on Feb 6, with aftershocks being reportedly felt in Cyprus and Lebanon.