Putra Jaya: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam Thursday announced that the damage assessment of the Ministry's assets and infrastructure in flood-hit states had indicated an estimated damage of RM380 million so far. He said over 100 clinics and hospitals needed repair and reconstruction, besides replacement of medical equipment and vehicles.
The Minister said the matter had been brought to the attention of the National Security Council (MKN) to be inserted in the budget to redevelop the damaged and lost assets.
"We managed to rescue most of the medicinal drugs and this has saved us a few millions. We are now in the midst of assessing saved assets," he told reporters after presenting his new year's message to the Ministry's staff here Thursday.
He said among the equipment that failed to be rescued during the floods were x-ray machines and dental chairs.
Meanwhile, Subramaniam said among the main challenges faced by the Ministry during floods were to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases, such as leptospirosis; to cope with the shortage of clean water and power supply at hospitals; and to transfer patients from one hospital to another.
"Although Tenaga Nasional Bhd tried its best to restore the power supply, it usually took longer than we expected," he said.
At the event, the minister also launched the ministry's Flood Disaster Fund to help 6,000 of its staff who were affected by the floods.
The campaign to collect RM10 each from the Ministry's personnel since Dec 24 had managed to raise RM321,500 so far. – Bernama
