Materia Medica Malaysiana

Gov't Hospitals Do Not Sell Blood, Says Deputy Minister

SEREMBAN, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said Saturday government hospitals have never sold blood obtained free of charge from the public to others.
As such, he said, the ministry would not hesitate to stop immediately the blood supply service to private hospitals which claimed that the government was selling blood to them.
"What is being charged is only a service fee of RM20 for tests carried out by government hospitals on the blood donated to screen for dangerous diseases," he told reporters after launching the Seremban Hospital Family Day Carnival 2004, here today.
Also present at the function were State Health Director Dr Rosnah Ismail and Hospital Seremban Director Datin Dr Zailan Adnan.
He said there were private hospitals which were not grateful for the blood supply from the ministry and some even told their clients that they had to impose a high fee for blood transfusion as the government had imposed certain charges.
He said there were also private hospitals which imposed a high fee for the blood received by their patients claiming that they had to repeat the blood screening upon receiving them.
"This indirectly show their lack of confidence on the tests carried out by government hospitals earlier. I wish to stress that we (the ministry) are responsible for the cleanliness and safety of the blood which had been screened before being supplied to others," he said.