KLANG, April 19 — Following the closure of Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital’s filthy canteen last week, the hospital has taken steps to ensure the issue never arises again. 

Hospital director Dr Ding Lay Ming said the state health department had on April 10, provided an entomologist and a team to help identify areas of high risk for pests.

“Following advice from this team, stringent measures were put in place to improve the hygiene levels.

“Daily checks on the canteen are being carried out,” she said. 

Dr Ding, who became the hospital director in January, said it was improving to serve patients better.

“The current canteen operator’s contract expires this month, and a new operator comes in on May 1 with a three-year contract,” she said.

Dr Ding said the operator would “make good on the infrastructure” of the canteen to provide a cleaner, more hygienic atmosphere for visitors and staff.

“Much of the present infrastructure is old, and is in need of refurbishment.

“The operator will work to improve it from May 1,” she said, adding the job would take two weeks to complete.

Senator Datin Paduka Nor Hayati Onn, political secretary to the prime minister, paid a visit to the hospital canteen on Thursday.

She hoped much could be done to improve the infrastructure, including the grease traps, broken tiles and areas where the ceiling was damaged.

Hospital supervisor Mohan Chitran said with daily checks, the hospital could ensure the canteen and other areas would always be clean and hygienic. 

On April 10, the canteen was ordered to close for 14 days after inspections by the Health Department found it to be unhygienic and a safety threat to the public.

It was reopened on Tuesday afternoon, despite health department officer Geeris Bachudaya earlier informing Malay Mail it would only be reopened if it passed an inspection after Thursday.

On Wednesday, Malay Mail checked on the reopened canteen only to find it as filthy as before.

The floor was covered in grime and the tables were left uncleared when customers were done dining, leaving plates and cups scattered on tables.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on his Twitter account on Thursday said the episode should not have happened.

He was responding to a tweet by Health Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and wrote: “Should not happen. Conduct regular spot checks on services in government hospitals and clinics.”