Parts of KK hospital found unsafe

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The main buildings of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, which have been cracking up, have been declared unsafe and some patients and health services there been transferred to nearby government facilities since Thursday.
A statement issued by the Health Minister yesterday said the structure of the hospital’s main tower block, the podium, the forensics block and the boiler room would be vacated and eventually demolished.
This was revealed in the latest engineering evaluation by Kumpulan Ikram Sdn Bhd and Public Works Department (JKR) in Sabah.
The Ikram report also showed that the blocks could not last for long and were too uneconomical to repair.
The statement said that prior to the Ikram and Sabah JKR investigation the hospital had received reports of falling concrete at the patient ward and toilet areas since early 2000.
The state JKR conducted safety inspections in 2006 and last year but was unable to determine the safety status of the buildings.
The ministry also conducted regular inspections and maintenance and repairs were done on the blocks by its concessionaire Syarikat Faber Mediserve and the JKR.
Ikram was later brought in to conduct a thorough inspection.
The main tower block houses beds and the main health facilities such as eight operation theatres, forensics department, radiology, sterilisation supply centre, pharmacy and the ICU / CCU / VIP / surgery wards.
The hospital has taken measures to ensure that services continue to be delivered to patients, include placing patients at nearby government hospitals.