PETALING JAYA: Health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has sought an explanation from Hospital Selayang, believed to be over the stabbing of a middle-aged man by a psychiatric patient.
Zaliha said she had rushed to the hospital from the Dewan Rakyat after receiving the news.
“We met the victim’s family and explained what had happened as well as measures we are taking to ensure patients receive the best treatment,” she said in a tweet.
She also said the patient’s family was being updated on his condition from time to time.
“The incident is being probed by the authorities,” she said.
While Zaliha did not provide details of the incident, it was reported last night the victim was stabbed three times by a psychiatric patient who was upset for being stranded while waiting for a bed in the wards.
The hospital was reported to be full at that time.
According to Singapore’s The Straits Times, the psychiatric patient took a knife from the staff nurses’ pantry and stabbed the victim twice in the abdomen and once in the back.
The report said the victim had to undergo an operation to remove the knife that was wedged in him.
News of the attack comes in the wake of reports of overcrowding at public hospitals, and the worsening of waiting time and level of patient care.
In December, Zaliha had said her ministry had begun drawing up plans to resolve overcrowding at emergency and trauma departments.
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