Dental specialist centre licensed to handle X-ray apparatus, says witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court was today told that Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd has the licence to handle X-ray apparatus after its owner Dr How Kim Chuan made an application to change the name of the premises in March this year.
Health Ministry Medical Radiation Regulatory Division Private (Radiology) Licensing Unit senior principal assistant director Mohd Khairuddin Mohamed Samsi, 44, said the name was changed from Beverly Wilshire Dental Specialist Centre to Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd.

"The licence was issued after Dr How applied on March 23, 2017," he said when cross-examined by counsel P. Sreekant who is representing director Dr Wong Yen Ling of the dental centre which was charged in relation to the death of the Deputy Prime Minister's son-in-law Datuk Syed Alman Zain Syed Alwi while being treated at the premises last year.
Mohd Khairuddin, who was the seventh prosecution witness, also agreed with the suggestion of the counsel that the dental specialist centre was conducting its operations with a valid licence.

However, in the proceedings on Aug 10, 2017, the same witness said there was no X-ray licence issued in the name of Imperial Dental Specialist Centre and his records found the licence was issued in the name of Beverly Wilshire Dental Specialist Centre which used the same address with the dental centre.

On Aug 12, 2016, the dental centre which was represented by its company director Dr Wong Yen Ling pleaded not guilty to nine charges relating to the death of Syed Alman Zain.
Among the charges, he was charged with failing to make sure Dr Ting Teck Chin, the person who administered anesthesia on Syed Alman Zain, had anesthesiology qualification.
The clinic was also charged as the licence holder which failed to ensure the individual conducting the
radiology procedure (orthopantomogram) and IV solution anesthesia had the qualification to do so.
Other charges against the premises are failure to provide necessary measures to save the life of the patient by not providing oxygen as a basic emergency care service as well as failure to provide Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM) a copy of all medical records on Syed Alman Zain when he was transferred there.
The clinic was also accused of failing to keep and maintain a register of employees, to ensure the requirement of medicine labelling was adhered to as well as not taking sufficient actions to protect professional health care employees and environment against biological hazards.

All the offences are alleged to have taken place at the clinic at Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Brickfields here between 6pm and 9.05pm between May 26 and June 2, 2016.
Seven of the charges were framed under Section 1(4), 39(2), 40(4) and 117(2)(b)(i) of the
Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 which provides for a fine of between RM30,000 and RM300,000, upon conviction.
Two more charges were submitted under Regulation 49(7) and 245(6) of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Regulations (Private Hospital and Healthcare Facilities) 2006 which provides for a fine of up to RM10,000 or three months in jail or both, if found guilty.
The prosecution is headed by deputy public prosecutor Nadia Zulkefli and the hearing before Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamed @ Shaharuddin will resume on Sept 7. — Bernama