Adjournment Speech by DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Ra’ayat on Wednesday, 19th January, 1972.
Death Falls at Malacca General Hospital
At the beginning of December, within 24 hours, two patients fall to their deaths from a high-rise ward at the Malacca General Hospital.
I then called for immediate action by the Hospital Authorities to prevent a recurrence of such death falls. I knew it is not possible to completely prevent such incidents, but when two death falls take place of each other within 24 hours, then it behooves the authorities to take pre-emptive action.
I regret that no action was taken. Two weeks after, another death fall occurred.
I wrote to the then Minister of Health, Tan Sri Sardon, calling for immediate preventive action.
I am glad that the Ministry of Health is spending about $30000 to take necessary preventative action.
However, if action had been taken immediately after the 2 death fall in early December, the third death fall might not have occurred; and a life saved.
I hope that in future, the Ministry and the Hospital Authorities could swing into immediate action and not drag their feet, costing human lives and suffering.