No licence for handling of X-ray apparatus issued to specialist centre, court told

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court was told yesterday that no licence for handling of X-ray apparatus was issued to Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd which is facing charges in connection with the death of the deputy prime minister’s son-in-law, Datuk Syed Alman Zain Syed Alwi, during treatment there last year.

Principal senior Assistant Director, Private Licensing Unit (Radiology), Medical Radiation Regulatory Division of the Health Ministry, Mohd Khairudin Mohamed Samsi, 44, said instead, there was a licence issued to Beverly Willshire Dental Specialist Centre which had the same address as Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd.

Following a check, he said, it was found that the licence issued to Beverly Willshire Dental Specialist Centre was registered under the name of Dr. How Kim Chuan, who is the owner of the dental specialist centre.

“Two apparatus were licenced, namely the ‘Intra Oral’ and ‘Orthopanthomography’ (OPG), and only Dr. How is registered as the operator of the apparatus concerned,” he said.

Mohd Khairudin, who is the seventh prosecution witness, said he did the check after being instructed by the Investigating officer from the private Medical Practice Control Branch, Dr Siti Khadijah Hawari, on March 20, 2017.

He said this during examinationin-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nadia Zulkefli in the trial in which the the dental specialist centre was charged in connection with Syed Alam Zain’s death on June 1 last year.

Mohd Khairudin also told the court that on March 22 this year, his office received an application from Dr How to change the premises name of the licensee of the X-ray apparatus handler from Beverly Willshire Dental Specialist Centre to Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd.

To a question from judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad @ Shaharuddin on the record on the application, Mod Khairudin said it was made manually and in the database.

On Aug 12 last year, Imperial Dental Specialist Centre Sdn Bhd, represented by company director Dr. Wong Yen Ling, claimed trial to nine charges in connection with Syed Alman Zain’s death.

Dr Wong, as the licence-holder, was charged with, among others, failing to ensure that Dr Ting Teck Chin, who administered anaesthesia to Syed Alman Zain, had the qualification to do so.

The company is also accused of failing to ensure that the individuals it engaged to perform orthopantomogram, anaesthesia and IV sedation on Syed Alman Zain had the necessary qualifications.

It is also accused of failing to put in place life-saving measures by not providing oxygen as a basic emergency care service as well as failing to submit to University Malaya Medical Centre, a copy of all of Syed Alman Zain’s medical records when he was transferred there. - Bernama