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MOH: We'll convene Committee of Inquiry - if WP can prove hepatitis C allegations

Singapore General Hospital is investigating whether a cluster of hepatitis C virus infections at its renal ward contributed to the deaths of at least four patients, the hospital said in a press statement on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has chided the Workers' Party (WP) over its demands for the formation of a Committee of Inquiry to investigate the hepatitis C outbreak at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), recently. 

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong's press secretary Lee Bee Khim released a statement issued on Sunday, stating that the Workers' Party should "state so directly" if it believes there were improper motives behind MOH officers' actions.

"The WP statement is careful not to make any suggestion that SGH or MOH officers acted with improper motives. Yet it has asked for a COI ahead of the Committee's report and the conclusion of police investigations."

"If the WP believes that there are questions that the Committee cannot answer, or that any officer acted with improper motives, it should state so directly. The Government will convene a COI provided the WP is prepared to lead evidence before the COI, to substantiate whatever allegations it might have," she said, adding that the Committee's findings and recommendations will be made public.

Around 25 patients that were warded at SGH between April and June have been diagnosed with hepatitis C. Eight of the patients have since died, with five of the deaths connected to hepatitis C virus.

In its statement earlier on Sunday, the Workers' Party called for the independent review committee looking into the outbreak of Hepatitis C virus infections at the Singapore General Hospital to be reconstituted as a Committee of Inquiry (COI) under the Inquiries Act.

Leon Perera, WP’s Non-Constituency Member of Parliament-elect, justified the need for a COI by comparing the situation to the COI to investigate the December 2011 MRT breakdowns and the 2013 Little India Riots. He said those COI were made public, strengthening public confidence in the public transport and security systems, respectively.

“The Hepatitis C outbreak is at least as grave an incident as the MRT breakdowns and Little India riot, with serious implications for the public confidence of Singaporeans and foreign stake-holders in our vital national institutions,” Perera said.

WP also noted the current review committee comprises currently serving clinicians in public healthcare institutions.

“Now that the committee’s remit has been broadened to include a review of MOH’s workflow, these individuals are effectively being asked to critique the actions of senior civil servants who oversee and administer government policy that affects their work as clinicians on a day-to-day basis. This would place members of the review committee in an awkward position,” Perera said.

To circumvent this, WP recommended the inclusion of retired clinicians and healthcare administrators in the committee and the appointment of a retired healthcare administrator or clinician as co-chair.

Should the committee be reconstituted as a COI, WP proposed one of the committee’s members be a person qualified to be a Judge of the High Court, as required by the Inquiries Act.