Heatwave in hospital

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Some patients at the University Malaya Medical Centre here have had to deal with the additional stress caused by the hot weather after part of the hospital’s air-conditioning system broke down.
Part of one ward has been without air-conditioning for more than 10 days, and patients there have been given fans to keep them cool.
There are probably 16 to 20 patients there.
Some of the patients are recovering from surgery while others had been warded either for observation or had undergone chemotherapy recently.
Constant maintenance and repairs have not helped, according to patients.
The Star received numerous calls from family members of patients yesterday, complaining about the discomfort their loved ones have been enduring.
“As visitors, we only have to endure the heat for a short while but imagine what patients have to go through as they have been without air-conditioning for days,” said one caller who wished to be known only as Karim.
Family members claimed that numerous complaints to the management have fallen on deaf ears.
Patient S. Rukumani, 70, said the fans provided no respite from the discomfort and pain.
“I’ve been here for nine days and I got the fan only on Saturday.
“It is very hot especially at night, and my clothes are drenched in sweat. It is very uncomfortable to sleep as the bed also gets wet with sweat,” she said.
One Madam Tan, who was warded for observation following chemotherapy, was writhing in discomfort as her family members tried to cool her down.
“She tells us she feels very uncomfortable even with the fan near her and her back gets wet easily as she can’t move on her own.
“Why does it take so long to fix the problem?” asked her son James.
James said they were worried about germs infecting the patients as there was no air circulation and the windows could not be opened.
Even the nurses are feeling the heat, especially since they wear long-sleeved uniforms.
“We are also feeling hot but what can we do? We have already forwarded the complaints from the patients to the management,” said a nurse, adding that the air-conditioning was repaired two days ago but was not working now.
Hospital authorities, when contacted yesterday, said they would look into the matter and find out why repairs were taking so long.
“We will also find out why the air-conditioning has broken down again after repairs were done. Any shoddy work will not be tolerated,” a spokesman said, adding that they would have more information on the matter today.