HSA Women's Ward Fire: One Too Many

The Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy expresses its support and concern for the wellbeing of patients, Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) staff and their families who were affected by yesterday's fire at the hospital's women's ward.

This unfortunate and distressing incident once again highlights the urgency for much needed reforms to be implemented into how our public hospitals are being managed and run. This recent fire is symptomatic of a larger problem of the quality of healthcare support services as pointed out by the investigation into the 2016 HSA tragedy.

Fire and rescue authorities would undoubtedly agree that no fire is small, especially when it involves a hospital where the care and safety of patients are entrusted to those providing healthcare services.

Fire safety is an unforgiving issue. It brooks no margin for error, for negligence and tolerance for mediocrity of services. Lives will be lost if we are complacent or take things for granted.

This is the third time in the past five years (twice before in 2016) that this particular hospital has experienced a fire outbreak. Surely, it has become one too many.

We urge the public to give their full support to the Ministry of Health to thoroughly investigate the circumstances behind this incident.