HEALTH Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai yesterday directed the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) to launch a probe into the breach of security in their pharmacy leading to the theft of RM1 million worth of medicines, including cough syrup, antibiotics and fever medicines.
Liow was quoted by a TV3 report saying that the hospital should review its security measures to prevent a recurrence.
A hospital spokesman said the theft had not affected their ability to dispense medicine to patients. He said the pharmacy in each department had adequate quantity of medicine to cater to their patients.
"The medicines are stockpiled to ensure that the supply will not run out," he said yesterday.
Meanwhile, police raided and recovered a quantity of drugs stolen by two HKL staff at a premises near Jalan Duta on Saturday morning. Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said the estimated market value of the drugs amounted to more than RM1 million. "We busted the place at about 5am. Although no new arrest has been made, there's a possibility that they might work in a group. "We also don't discount the fact that they could be involved in a syndicate." Police also believed that the two suspects, who were caught, were involved in selling medicines on the black market. It is learnt that the two male suspects, in their 20s and 30s, had been working with the hospital for more than two years. It was also believed that the duo, who were held under remand until today, had been gradually stealing drugs from the hospital's pharmacy to avoid being caught. However, their activity was detected when another hospital staff conducted a stock count on Dec 28 and a police report was lodged the next day. It is also learnt the medicines were stolen from the hospital's neurology department pharmacy
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