KUALA LUMPUR, August 11 – Sungai Buloh Hospital (HSB) today retracted a directive issued two days ago that prohibited the use of online food delivery services for staff and patients.
HSB director Dr Kuldip Kaur Prem Singh said hospital management has immediately withdrawn all prohibitions listed in an internal memo dated August 9 that went viral after the Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) movement posted it on Twitter.
“Thank you for all the responses and feedback. HSB management remains committed and sensitive to the needs, welfare, and wellbeing of staff and patients in this hospital,” Dr Kuldip Kaur said in a brief statement today.
Her internal memo issued August 9 stated that HSB department heads had, on July 26, agreed to enforce a ban on online food delivery services for staff and patients because of complaints over food waste and trash, and vermin that affected cleanliness in wards.
The HSB director’s internal directive also said the cafeteria management has been reminded to improve its services for staff and the public.
Dr Kuldip Kaur’s memo sparked angry tweets, with HDK saying that the public hospital in Selangor might as well ban eating to prevent waste.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, who also chairs the Dewan Rakyat special select committee on health, science and innovation, similarly criticised the ban on food delivery services in the Ministry of Health (MOH) hospital.
“This for me is illogical and unfair for health care workers, especially those on-calls after 6pm when the cafeteria closes. Even if you want [to] help the cafeteria, not at the expense of the choice and convenience for the health workers,” he tweeted yesterday.
“It’s the responsibility of the Ministry to look after welfare and needs of their health care workers..not a private business at the hospital. If it is a waste management issue, then address the cleaning support staff capacity, or have trash segregation bins all over to promote recycling..etc… not a total ban,” the DAP lawmaker added.
