Malbatt Personnel Who Suffered Stroke Sent Back To Malaysia

From Mohd Faizal Hassan BEIRUT, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-3 personnel who recently suffered a stroke here in Lebanon has been sent back to Malaysia, and is currently receiving treatment at the Tuanku Mizan Armed Forces Hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Deputy Defence Minister Mohd Johari Baharum said Warrant Officer II Wan Jaflan Wan Ariffin had complained of having headache on Aug 6 and met Major Dr N. Puvenavikneswaran at the Ma'rakah Camp clinic in Tyre, about 80km from Beirut. Dr Puvenavikneswaran detected a blood clot on Wan Jaflan's left brain and sent him to the Hamoud Hospital in Beirut for further tests, he told RTM (Malaysian public broadcaster) and Bernama here, Thursday. "While on the way (to the hospital), the personnel (Wan Jaflan) fainted in the ambulance and specialists at the hospital found he had suffered a stroke and needed immediate surgery," he said. Mohd Johari said the swift action by Dr Puvenavikneswaran had saved Wan Jaflan from suffering a greater risk. Hailed from east coast state Kelantan, Wan Jaflan, said Mohd Johari, was active in the field of arts, and had been awarded a certificate by the Malaysian Ambassador to Lebanon, Bala Chandran Tharman for his contributions and involvement in the activities organised by the embassy. Mohd Johari is currently in Beirut to inspect the preparedness of Malbatt 850-4 personnel in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peace mission. He arrived on Wednesday together with 215 members of the first batch of Malbatt 850-4 officers and other ranks led by Col Nazim Mohd Alim. --BERNAMA