The science, technology and innovation ministry (Mosti) said the health ministry’s medical radiation surveillance division launched an investigation after the allegations were raised last week.

“The health ministry did not find any critical breach in radiation safety procedures that can be linked to claims of a ‘cancer cluster’ in the unit,” Mosti said in a statement.

It added that licensing for radioactive substances and radiation-emitting devices for non-medical purposes fell under the atomic energy department, while those for medical purposes were under the health ministry.

“The atomic energy department and medical radiation surveillance division remain committed to ensuring the safety of radiation workers and the public,” said the ministry.

At a press conference last week, former UMMC radiographer Nur Fauziah Abdul Razak claimed she had developed Hodgkin lymphoma – a type of cancer – because of SOP breaches at the hospital.

Fauziah claimed that years after the hospital installed a PET-CT machine, three of the staff members suffered from various types of cancer, while another four were suffering from thyroid-related diseases.

All seven affected were attached to the radiology department, she said.

UMMC denied the allegations, saying its PET-CT machine was always operated according to strict security procedures, with the level of radiation exposure under control and according to set standards.

The hospital also said all staff members who worked with the machine were required to be equipped with personal dosimeters, while official records show that each person’s level of exposure to radiation was far lower than the gazetted dose.