SHAH ALAM: The Health Ministry hopes to open more burn units in public hospitals nationwide, following the growing number of burn cases in the country.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the increase in number of patients posed a big challenge for hospitals to treat and manage burn cases, specifically major burn cases.
He said at present not all public hospitals were equipped with the infrastructure and facilities needed to house burn units.
“However, major hospitals in the respective states have burn units, one of it being the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
“I hope more hospitals will be able to operate a burn unit to attend to the rising number of patients.
“With the availability of a burn unit at all hospitals, burn cases can be treated with optimum care and efficiency, thus reducing the mortality rate,” he told reporters after launching the 4th Kuala Lumpur Hospital Burn Seminar 2017 here today.
Last year, the Kuala Lumpur Hospital received some 150 major and minor burn cases, including 16 mortalities, as compared to some 100 cases, including 10 mortalities in 2014.
Hilmi said many industrial related and domestic burn cases have been reported over the years.
“There have also been electrical burn injuries which had resulted in the death of many victims due to fire incidents in houses and factories in the Klang Valley this year.
"Human negligence has also been identified as one of the key factors contributing to an increase in burn cases, such as scalded burn injury, where the Kuala Lumpur Hospital has received more than 40 cases, last year.”
Hilmi also called for non-governmental organisations to play a pivotal role in treating burn victims by offering mental and physical support.
“I hope more people will join the hospitals’ Burn Support Group, offering moral support and counselling, among others to burn victims. These are what we call as ‘unseen scars’.
“They need a strong will power to move on in life after having gone through such tragic incidents,” he added.
Meanwhile, on Selangor state recording the highest number of dengue cases this year, as of September, Hilmi said construction sites remain the top breeding spot of the Aedes mosquito in the state.
Malaysia recorded 70,447 dengue cases this year, out of which Selangor had 38,420 cases.
This was followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (7,156 cases), Johor (6,348) and Perak (4,838).
Hilmi advised members of the public to exercise caution and spend at least 10 minutes every week to clean their house compounds, both inside and outside their homes.
This, he said was crucial to ensure that there were no mosquito breeding grounds, such as in toilet pumps, vases and water storage tanks.
On the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which includes an allocation of RM46 billion for a railway and highway (includes three major roads and an undersea tunnel), Hilmi said the state government should conduct a thorough study before carrying out the project.
“Penang is a small island and many are already comfortable commuting via their cars and motorbikes.
“Has the state government studied the conversion rate (from own vehicles to public transportation)? Are the public really going to benefit from this?
“In the end, we might only see Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam citizens commuting via the Bayan Lepas Light Rail Transit (LRT).”
It was reported that the Barisan Nasional strategic communications team had questioned the Penang government over the alleged increase of the PTMP cost from RM27 billion to RM46 billion, an increase of RM19 billion.