Air medical services will be inaugurated shortly, covering the use of air transportation, namely helicopters, to move patients to and from healthcare facilities and accident scenes, said a Ministry of Health official on Wednesday.
Already fifteen medical emergency personnel are being trained to operate emergency helicopters, said the Ministry's assistant undersecretary for medical support services Dr. Jamal Al-Harbi in a speech opening today a physiotherapy awareness day at the NBK children's hospital.
Eventually the ministry will have 75 medical helicopter operators, noting that the ministry of health was in consultation with the ministry of interior as to earmarking appropriate locations for helipads on the nation's highways and byways to attend to medical emergencies and accidents on them, he said.
Actual use of these helicopters might start as early as in one or two months, he promised.
On the physiotherapy awareness day at the children's hospital, he said the ministry has just opened a new clinic for children with physiotherapy needs and a similar one for children with special needs.
He indicated that physiotherapy is the health care profession primarily concerned with the remediation of impairments and disabilities and the promotion of mobility, functional ability, quality of life and movement potential through examination, evaluation, diagnosis and physical intervention. He stressed that ministry professionals were well equipped to handle all cases of physiotherapy needs whether for children or adults. /div> n me