MOH yet to receive report from HSA fire probe panel

SEGAMAT: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has yet to get a report from the independent panel probing the fire which killed six patients of Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA), Johor Baru, on Oct 25.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (pix) said he was told that the report was being finalised before handed over to him in a week or two.
"The report with input from the Public Works Department, the Fire & Rescue Department, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the board of architects and engineers will be brought to the Cabinet," he told reporters after launching a thalassaemia campaign at SJKC Jementah, near here today.
Subramanian said following the tragedy, the MOH conducted checks on hospital buildings over 50 years-old to avoid a repeat of the incident.
"I will also be meeting with all hospital directors and the heads of engineering division soon to study security issues at hospital buildings.
"MOH will set up an independent commission comprising of non government employees who will be given the power to probe and advice," he added.
The MOH was conducting thalassaemia screening for form four school students to detect carriers of the inherited disease.
More than 6,000 Malaysians have been found to be carriers of the disease.
The MOH spends more than RM5,000 monthly to treat each patient. — Bernama