Probe into baby's death to go on

NST: KAJANG: The Health Ministry will continue investigating the death of a newborn baby at the Kajang Hospital on April 11 despite his mother filing a RM2 million civil suit on the matter.
Its minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, said it was Noor Hidayu Hashim's prerogative to do so.
"We, on our part, will conduct investigations into the incident," he said when commenting on the 21-year-old's suit.
He said the probe began as soon as the parents lodged a complaint on the death of their first-born who was delivered using the vacuum procedure.
An independent committee headed by a doctor is conducting the investigation.
"If the investigation reveals negligence, disciplinary action will be taken against person or persons concerned," he told reporters after a surprise working visit to the Kajang Hospital yesterday.
Kamaruddin Mohd Yasin, 28, a Kajang Prison officer, filed the case on behalf of his wife on Tuesday through their counsel, M.K. Othman & Co.
In the 13-page writ, Noor Hidayu, a private sector employee, named Dr Wan Shahruliza Wan Shaharan, the hospital director and government as defendants in the suite for alleged negligence in her son's death.
Noor Hidayu said her son who weighed 4.75kg was delivered by Dr Wan Shahrulizaabout 6pm using the vacuum procedure and was warded at the intensive care unit after developing problems. He died at 9.30pm the same day.
Liow said the number of negligence cases over the years had fallen tremendously to seven at the moment.
He said the ministry's Patient Safety Council, headed by the Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, had taken pains to advise healthcare providers on the need to avert medical negligence.
"I must stress that every complaint, be it medical negligence or otherwise, big or small, is immediately investigated.
"This is one way of learning from our mistakes and improving our service to patients. As far as possible, we do not want the mistake to be repeated."
Liow said all members of the board of visitors of hospitals should meet every month or once in two months to discuss issues related to their hospital and patients.
"Every complaint filed by patients or visitors to the hospital must be investigated and resolved," he said, adding that all hospitals should be community friendly.
He said professionals, irrespective of whether they were specialists, doctors, nurses, medical assistants or staff should ensure that patients and those who accompanied them were treated well.
Liow said his visit to the Kajang Hospital was also with regard to complaints of congestion in specialists' clinics and wards.
He said he had directed the Serdang Hospital to open more wards to take in patients from the Kajang Hospital.