Hospitals over 50 years old nationwide to undergo safety audits

PUTRAJAYA: Forty eight aging hospital buildings nationwide will go through extensive auditing in the near future to ensure that they comply with safety requirements.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said hospital blocks that are more than 50 years old will be audited in terms of safety and maintenance.

“Most of the old hospitals were built during British rule and might not meet current safety standards. These buildings are still strong, but we want to check the safety in other aspects.

“The new buildings are required to comply with the Uniform Building by-law, which was only introduced in 1984. And then there was the Fire Service Act 1988 which they need to adhere to.

“(But) the old hospitals were built way before that. For instance, Batu Gajah Hospital in Perak is 136 years old, Balik Pulau Hospital in Penang is 130 years old and Hospital Tuanku Fauziah in Perlis is 97 years old.

“Thus, we need collaboration between the Works Department and Fire and Rescue Department, as well as other relevant agencies to conduct inspection on these buildings so that the safety of the hospitals can be established,” he told reporters at a press conference here today.

Subramaniam said this in the wake of the fire incident in the intensive care unit of Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor, which claimed six lives on Tuesday.

He added that the cabinet has also agreed that the Works Department, Fire and Rescue Department and other relevant agencies will provide the necessary technical expertise and advice in reviewing safety guidelines required to prevent similar accidents from recurring.

Subramaniam said in extreme cases, old hospital buildings might be torn down.

“If the hospital building is in a dilapidated state, then it has to be demolished.” he said.

On the cause of the fire at HSA, Subramaniam said the ministry expects to receive the report from the Fire and Rescue Department in one or two weeks.

“We have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Once we have the report, we will bring the matter to the cabinet,” he said.

Article Source : Yahoo.com/news
                           © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

AirAsia bans Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on all flights

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia has banned Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones onboard all its flights from midnight tonight on safety concerns.

The move follows the decision by the recent US Department of Transport to ban the device and amid reports of replacement units catching fire, it said in a statement here today.

Guests are not permitted to carry the Galaxy Note 7, including recalled and replacement devices on their person, in cabin bags, in check-in baggage or as cargo.

Any guests found with the device will be denied boarding.

The prohibition applies to all flights operated by AirAsia Group, comprising AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia, AirAsia Philippines, AirAsia India, Malaysia AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia X. - BERNAMA

Source : yahoo, © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

Playing Pokemon Go May Extend Your Life By 41 Days: Study

Los Angeles: Playing Pokemon Go regularly may add an extra 41 days to your life, a new study has claimed, despite concerns that the popular augmented reality game could be a health hazard.

The health benefits of Pokemon Go, which encourages gamers to hunt Pokemon characters in real life by exploring their locale, have been lauded since its launch earlier this year. 

Despite the injuries it has led to, such as people walking into dangerous areas, the new study suggests the game could measurably affect life expectancy.

Researchers at Stanford University in the US and Microsoft found that engaged Pokemon Go players walked an extra 1,473 steps a day, roughly 25 per cent more activity, while playing the augmented reality game.

For people aged 15 to 49 an extra 1,000 steps a day could amount to 41.4 additional days of life expectancy, according to the researchers.

After tracking the activity of almost 32,000 Pokemon Go users for three months using an accelerometer and a gyrometer, the researchers found that the game "significantly increased" levels of physical activity, 'The Telegraph' reported. In particular, it has health benefits for people who are not traditionally that active.

"These increases are not restricted to already active and healthy individuals, but also reach individuals with low prior activity levels, and overweight or obese individuals," researchers said.

They also found that Pokemon Go was more likely to improve the movement of less active people than other health apps.

Article source : Press Trust of India | Updated: Oct 13, 2016 19:14 IST

P/S : do more outdoor activity may prolonged your life. POKEMON GO!

Daniel Delisha Wrote