21 staff of maternal and child health clinic suffer chemical poisoning

IPOH: Twenty-one staff of the Batu Gajah Maternal and Child Health Clinic have suffered poisoning from a leaking disinfectant, but they are reported to be stable and not hospitalised.
According to State Health Director Datuk Dr Juita Ghazalie, the staff were confirmed to have suffered the symptoms of poisoning including cough, cold, sore throat, headache and difficulty breathing since early July after getting treatment at the Emergency Department of the Batu Gajah Hospital, but none were warded.
She said checks by the Batu Gajah Fire and Rescue Department found the cause of poisoning to be leaking Cresol fluid, a type of disinfectant used to clean the clinic premises.
"The substance was found to have been seeped into the concrete floor after it leaked from a chemical container which was kept in a store on the first floor of the clinic.
"Today, the Kinta District Health Office carried out investigations into the complaints that several members of the Batu Gajah Maternal and Child Health Clinic were suspected to have suffered chemical poisoning since early July," she said in a media statement today.
Dr Juita said the staff were believed to have been exposed to the substance when they used the prayer room (surau) which was beneath the store.
"The leak was detected after a clinic staff saw stains on the ceiling of the women's prayer room at 9am today," she said.
She added that no members of the public or visitors to the clinic suffered symptoms of poisoning.
Dr Juita said the services of the clinic were temporarily ceased today and the patients given new appointment dates.
"Members of the clinic have been told to vacate the building and the Fire Brigade and Hazmat (hazardous materials) team have been contacted for technical advice.
"Cleaning work was carried out jointly by the District Health Office and the Fire and Rescue Department today, and the clinic will be open tomorrow as usual," she said.
She added that the District Health Office and the State Health Department will continue monitoring those who were affected while a scheduled audit had been set for all the stores in the District Health Office and the State Health Department.
Meanwhile, Head of Operations in the Batu Gajah Fire and Rescue Station, Halid Mohd Zin, said the fire brigade with the help of the Hazmat team carried out investigations in the clinic soon after they received a call at 10.33am today.
"There was an unpleasant smell coming from the store of the clinic.
"The substance was identified to be Abate 500, K-Othirine and Lysol. When they were moved out, there were signs of old spills leading to vapourisation from the area and the smell," he said. — Bernama