32,500 out of 1.5m patients died in govt hospitals

Sun2Surf: KUALA LUMPUR: Last year 32,588 people out of the 1,508,871 nationwide who sought treatement at government hospitals died but this constitutes only 2.16% of the total number, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
In a written reply to Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya), he said among the causes of deaths at government hospitals were, Septecaemia (17.94%), heart diseases and diseases of pulmonary circulation (14.66%), Malignant Neoplasms (9.32%), Cerebrovascular diseases (7.85%), and accidents resulting in deaths (6.12%).
"All deaths at Health Ministry hospitals will be investigated in a detailed and objective manner through several death investigation committees such as the Peri-Operative Mortality Review, Perinatal Mortality Review, Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Death and Hospital Mortality Review," he said.
Chua said the outcome of such investigations would be submitted to state health departments, and then forwarded to the Health Ministry for any corrective measures to be taken.
"Among the reasons for the investigations is to identify any shortcomings and ensure patients receive quality treatment services," he said.