State gov't denies bacterial outbreak at JB hospital

The Johor government has denied that there has been a bacterial outbreak at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital following the death of three newborn babies from bacterial infection in just four days.

State Health Committee chairperson Robiah Kosai last Friday confirmed that the elder daughter of , 26, had died from Klebsiella sepsis , and not from any bacterial outbreak at the state hospital.

She explained during a press conference in Muar that Theng's twin daughters were premature babies who are more susceptible to bacterial attack, and the death rate of premature babies in Johor was as high as 27.5 percent last year.

Robiah said Theng's case was an isolated one as there has been only one case in the hospital so far.

“To say that there is an outbreak of Gram-negative bacteria in the ward, there must three to four cases which has the same cause of death as the deceased (Theng's daughter) to confirm, but the hospital can only ascertain this single case,” she was quoted as saying by Oriental Daily News .

She, however, refused to comment on the deaths of another two babies belonging to a Malay couple, both of who also allegedly died from Klebsiella sepsis , claiming that her department has not received the relevant records.

Johor health department director Dr Mohd Khairy Yaakub told Sin Chew Daily that there were only three cases of Klebsiella Sepsis in the hospital and one of the patients has since recovered and returned home.

Health director: Issue being politicised

On the death of the other two babies, Khairy argued that the two babies were infected by a different bacteria.

“The bacteria could be from the parents, relatives or our medical staff through physical contact but it is not true to say that there was an outbreak,” he was quoted as saying, adding that the immunity of newborn babies is very weak.

Meanwhile Khairy told Oriental Daily that the issue has been politicised by the DAP.

“We are very concern about the health of the babies, but this issue has been politicised. You know it when you see who was accompanying the baby's father (Theng) to hold the press conference”.

Last Thursday, Theng, flanked by DAP national youth secretary Tan Hong Pin ( left ), told a press conference about the death of the elder of his twin daughters.

He accused the hospital management of negligence and covering up the situation.

Theng revealed that another father, Mohd Nazir, also lost two of his triplets in the same hospital due to bacterial infection.

He alleged that the maternity ward was dirty, poorly ventilated and crowded with newborn babies placed in the corridor where many people pass by.

Both Robiah and Khairy have denied the allegations.

Robiah said one of the wards was undergoing cleaning, hence its babies had been transferred to the other two wards, but there was no issue of congestion.

Despite lodging a report with the hospital and media coverage on the matter, Theng said that neither the hospital or the health department has contacted him on his complaint.