IPOH: The operating hours of the Tanjong Malim Health Clinic will be reviewed and presented to the Ministry of Health (MoH), Perak exco member A. Sivanesan said.
He was addressing complaints about the clinic’s new hours, which now operate from 8 am to 5 pm, a reduction from the previous 24-hour service.
“I will investigate this matter and inform the minister (Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad), , who may also send his team to look into it,” he said when contacted by Bernama..
However, regarding the two recent deaths, he cautioned against blaming the hospital or clinic without knowing the actual causes or the patients’ conditions.
The clinic had ceased its 24-hour service on Aug 1 to align with the operating hours of other rural clinics.
Residents of Tanjong Malim are worried that recent changes to the clinic’s operating hours may lead to more fatalities.
On Oct 13 it was reported that M. Praveen, a 25-year-old oil palm estate supervisor, died after being rushed to a private clinic for emergency treatment
On Nov 1, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon called for the restoration of the 24-hour service at the Tanjong Malim Health Clinic, stating that the reduction in hours has negatively impacted the community and may have contributed to recent deaths.
In response, A. Sivanesan confirmed that an investigation into Praveen’s death is underway. He added that officials will visit the victim’s family to gather necessary information, as there are no records of him at the clinic.
“We are collecting facts, including his medical history, to prepare a report,” he said.