Dengue Updates: In the dark about fine on hospital

NST: Four months ago, Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Tanjung Rambutan was served with a compound notice for allowing Aedes larvae to breed on its 250ha premises.
The compound notice carries a maximum fine of RM500 under the Destruction of Disease Bearing Insects Act 1975.
It was so hush-hush, even State Health, Science and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Tan Chin Meng did not know until he read about it in the newspapers.
"I was shocked to read the news this morning. No one from the State Health Department informed me," said Tan.
Sounding upset when the New Straits Times contacted him, he requested time to call State Health Department officials for more details.
"I can’t say anything. I have no idea what happened but this is a serious matter and I am surprised no one has informed me about it."
He said the usual practice was for the Health Department to inform him of the compound notices it issued, but the report never carried the name of institution which committed the offence.
When contacted later in the afternoon, Tan said the compound notice was issued to the hospital when a team of health officers went to verify complaints that Aedes larvae were found in the network of drains within the hospital area.
Tan said that according to State Health Department officers, the cleanliness and sanitary work at the hospital was contracted to a private company.
"If there were larvae found, then it shows that the company did not carry out its job properly.
"Fortunately, larvae did not cause an outbreak," he added.
Hospital Bahagia, which began operations in November 1911 as the country’s first mental asylum, is one of six hospitals fined by the Health Ministry for allowing Aedes larvae to breed.
The NST learnt that the compound notice was issued by a team of health officers from the Kinta Health Office based in Batu Gajah.
The others were Hospital Kangar, Hospital Seremban, Hospital Tanah Merah, Hospital Jerantut and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan.
Tan said this was the first time that the mental institution had been served with a compound notice for such an offence.
Hospital Bahagia houses more than 2,000 inmates and has about 1,700 staff. It is the country's oldest mental institution.
The NST was unable to reach either Perak Health Department director Datuk Dr Prathapa Senan or Hospital Bahagia director Dr Suarn Singh. Both are believed to be in India.