Independent Inquiry Committee on HSA fire to hold first meeting soon

SEGAMAT: The eleven panel members appointed to sit in the Independent Inquiry Committee on the recent fire at Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, will hold its first meeting soon, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam.

He said the members comprised representatives from government departments, as well as nongovernmental organisations and independent bodies.

They are tasked to look into whatever weaknesses in the hospital management system and to advise the Health Ministry and other agencies to avoid a similar incident in future, he told reporters after opening an integrated mega gotong royong programme to fight aedes here yesterday.

In the incident which occurred last Oct 25, six patients died when the Intensive Care Unit on the second floor of the five-storey HSA caught fire.

Subramaniam said the ministry had yet to receive a detailed report on the fire from the Fire and Rescue Department.

On the programme yesterday, he said it would be conducted nationwide to enhance public awareness on the importance of destroying breeding grounds for Aedes mosquito.

He said it would be carried out with the cooperation of local government authorities.

He said based on statistics, the number of dengue cases reported in the country showed a drop, from 106,757 cases last year to 92,891 cases, so far this year.

The number of fatalities due to dengue also dropped, from 293 in 2015 to 214 this year, he added. — Bernama