http://dapmalaysia.org  

Selayang General Hospital owes Mohamad Rizuan and all other dengue victims an explanation Media Statement by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew (Petaling Jaya, Wednesday):  Mohamad Rizuan Bin Abdul Aziz, 23 , was turned away by the Selayang General Hospital on 18 Feb 2003 despite he was confirmed down with Dengue Fever, with a blood count as low as 73. He was told by a doctor to get a blood count from other clinic or hospital on the following day, and he would only be allowed to admit to the Selayang GH if his blood count drops to 50 or below. Mohamad Rizuan did just that as advice on the following day. He was told that his blood count has dropped to 39. He immediately went to the Selayang GH and hoping to be admitted at once. But alas, he was told to wait and asked to do another blood count by the hospital before he could be admitted. This time, he was said to have a blood count of 63 (still above the 50 mark) and he was turned away for the second time. The Selayang GH insisted that he will be all right and need not be admitted to any hospital. That was about 2 pm on 19 Feb 2003. By then, one could see redness all over his palm and other parts of the body. I insisted that he should be sent to Kuala Lumpur GH at once to save his life when I learnt about his story through his employer. He was accompanied by a DAP member to the Kuala Lumpur GH. We hope Mohamad Rizuan would survive and recover well in the save hands of the KLGH. The Selayang GH authority now owes Mohamad Rizuan and other Dengue victims who were turned away by them a good explanation. How could they reject confirmed Dengue patients in such a cruel and brainless manner? Who is responsible for the so-called "magical" blood count of 50 benchmark for admission and treatment? The Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Ming should immediately conduct an investigation and to rectify the problem immediately. Chua has failed to perform his duty miserably as a health minister. More than a hundred of lives were taken away unnecessary since the Dengue outbreak surfaced in November 2002. How many lives must be lost before we can see him coming out from his hideout? (19/2/2003) * Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew