Hospital gets backup scanner after robbery victim hullabaloo

Star: MALACCA: Hospital Melaka has bought a new scanner as backup for the current one, a hospital spokesman said.
The scanner, which had caused some controversy over the treatment of a wounded robbery victim on Monday, will arrive in 2008.
“It is not true how the media portrayed us as if we did not treat the victim immediately because we treat all patients who come to us regardless of race, age or gender,” the spokesman said when contacted.
Controversy sparked when the victim was allegedly not treated due to a faulty CT scanner when he was rushed to the hospital after being shot in the abdomen by unhappy robbers.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who visited hospital director Dr Abu Bakar Mohammud for a discussion on Thursday, said he was told that the doctor who attended to the victim was relatively young and did not have enough experience to do a surgery without the aid of the scanner.
“That is why they had to wait until the specialist arrived to do the surgery. However, initial care and treatment were provided during the wait.
“The director apologised to the victim’s wife for her anguish and inconvenience and she had accepted the apology and will not press charges,” said Lim, adding the victim’s wife had approached him for help.
Meanwhile police are still investigating the case.
On Monday, the 56-year-old businessman had just returned to his home Taman Setia Jaya in Bukit Katil at 1.45am after a game of pool with friends. When he reached the house gate, two men - one armed with a knife and another with a gun - approached him. The robbers forced him to wake his wife up and tied their hands before ransacking the house.
There was then a struggle between the businessman and the robbers and he was shot. Those with information are urged to contact the state police hotline at 06) 284-1999.