We stick by report, says Chua

Star: JOHOR BARU: The Health Ministry does not want to be drawn into a debate with Maktab Sains Mara Merbok on the measles controversy.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who had said that measles was the diagnosis of the illness that hit 539 students earlier this week, is standing by his statement despite the college countering that only two students were down with it.
Dr Chua said he would stick by the report submitted by the district medical health officer.
“The report states that more than 500 students in the college displayed symptoms such as fever, headache and sore throat. These symptoms can be diagnosed as a viral-lie fever, which could be measles.
“We believe someone who is trained (in this matter). The one trained is the doctor, not the principal (of the college),” Dr Chua added.
A Bernama report quoted college officials as saying that the matter was blown out of proportion by the media.
On another matter, Dr Chua gave an assurance that the safety of patients and the quality of services at the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Pandan, Johor Baru, would not be compromised.
He was responding to a report in The Star on missing portions of the ceiling outside the hospital.
A hospital spokesman had said that the ceiling problem was due to structural defects.
The spokesman said the hospital had asked the ministry for an allocation to repair the ceiling.
Dr Chua said he was not aware if any allocation had been made.