JOHOR BARU: The safety and crisis management procedures of all 145 public hospitals nationwide are set to undergo scrutiny by a special squad under the Health Ministry.
The move comes in the wake of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital fire this morning that left six people dead.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, who arrived at the hospital around 4pm, spent about 30 minutes being briefed on the fire that destroyed its Intensive Care Unit at the second floor of the hospital's main building.
The fire claimed the lives of six patients, all in their 20s to 60s, who were warded at the ICU. A seventh patient survived and was sent to Sultan Ismail Hospital, Johor Baru.
Dr Subramaniam said the inspection by the special squad has already started. They will visit each government hospital and compile data for improvement recommendations.
“Some of the hospitals are old and need to be improved. We are in the midst of doing so; it is unfortunate that the fire happened in a government hospital,” he said.
He said a full investigation by the Fire and Rescue Department is underway. He urged the public not to make their own speculations on the incident.
One of the rumours spreading via social media is that the fire started from a mobile phone which was plugged in to a charger next to an oxygen tank.
“That is only a rumour. The authorities are still carrying out their investigations,” he stressed.
Dr Subramaniam said the fire may have spread within seconds as the ICU unit had high levels of oxygen within.
Dr Subramaniam said he has met with the family members of the patients who perished in the incident.
“Should there be any issues on insurance claims by affected family members, we will definitely look into it,” he said.