He said this when asked to comment on the frequency of short-circuit incidents at public hospitals after a similar incident at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor Bahru last month resulted in a fire which claimed the lives of six people.
The 5B male medical ward at the Ipoh hospital was vacated following a short circuit last night and 47 patients transferred to nearby wards following the fire, believed to have been sparked by a patient’s malfunctioning bed panel.
Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the short circuit, which occurred at 11.16pm, originated from a wall plug beside the beds.
The patients were moved to another ward so wiring and safety checks could be carried out.
Meanwhile Ipoh Fire and Rescue Department Chief P Samasuvam praised hospital staff for their swift action in cutting off electricity and gas supply to the ward.
He said firemen found traces of fire which had been put out by the hospital’s staff using a fire extinguisher.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, Subramaniam said an audit on all hospitals was going on.