Ministry Unhappy Media Reports Tarnish Hospital's Image

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry has asked the media not to "play up" controversial reports in the Sungai Petani Hospital (HSP) as this could affect public confidence and the morale of the staff.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad said it was important that the morale and service of the hospital staff who were doing their utmost to ensure an efficient "delivery system" were not affected, especially as the hospital was striving to regain the public confidence.
"We admit there were mistakes but the report on the latest case, that is the still-born baby was portrayed as 'something wrong' although the patient had said that she had received proper treatment the hospital," he told reporters after opening the Neurotrauma 2005 Brain Damage Wrecks the Country's Future, here, Friday.
Last Sunday, a man, Mohd Fauzi Omar, 23, had alleged that the hospital had postponed for two days his wife's delivery of a still-born baby on grounds that there was no specialist doctor available.
Mohd Fauzi was later called by the hospital management and board of directors to deny the story which was published on the front page of a mainstream newspaper last Wednesday.
Dr Abd Latiff also said the report on the results of the investigation on five "controversial" cases at the hospital involving the delivery of babies was completed and action on the matter would be known when the Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek returned from San Francisco next week.
The Deputy Minister also said his ministry planned to corporatise the ambulance service at Government hospitals to enable the hospitals to give greater focus to patients, adding that every year about 400 units of ambulance had to be replaced involving a cost of RM200 million.
Meanwhile, in SUNGAI PETANI, Health Ministry Director-General Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said the Sungai Petani Hospital administration would not be changed following the controversial reports.
He said he was satisfied with the service of the hospital's Director, Dr Harif Fadzilah Che Hashim and all other staff.
He asked the media not to publish complaints from patients without referring to the hospital first.
Dr Ismail was speaking at a press conference after meeting senior staff of the hospital.
He said however, that there was a little confusion in the tasks of some of the hospital staff which caused unhappiness among some patients.
He gave an assurance that the situation would be remedied and the doctors had carried out their duties well and according to the proper procedures.