Air-con back at UMMC ward

Star: PETALING JAYA: Temperatures have cooled down at a ward in University Malaya Medical Centre after the air-conditioning system has come back to working condition.
The system recently broke down for more than 10 days, resulting in some 20 patients having to put up with the discomfort amid the current hot weather.
Although they were given fans, these gave little comfort to the patients, some of whom were recovering from surgery while others had been warded either for observation or after they had undergone chemotherapy recently.
Family members had made many calls to The Star complaining of the discomfort of their loved ones, while patients also complained of difficulty in sleeping due to the heat.
A check at the ward yesterday showed that the air-conditioning was back to normal. Instead of seeing patients being fanned by loved ones, they were now bundled up in blankets because of the cool air.
One patient who had just undergone chemotherapy said she was relieved to have the air-conditioning back, claiming that her back got wet constantly as a result of sweating when the system broke down.
Being unable to move on her own, she said she could only writhe in discomfort on her bed.
“Now I feel more comfortable as it is not hot any more,” she said.
Meanwhile, UMMC in a statement apologised for the breakdown and said although the air-conditioning was now cold, it was not fully up to its normal strength.
The system was still undergoing tests over the balancing of the rate flow of water and the supply of coolant.
Deputy director (professional) Assoc Prof Dr Jamiyah Hassan said maintenance works for the system were currently under way from the sixth to the 13th levels of the main building.
“Our engineers will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the comfort of our patients,” she said.