A short-circuit at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) in Ipoh, Perak, which triggered panic and evacuation early today, is an isolated incident, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said this when asked to comment on the frequency of short-circuit incidents at public hospitals after a similar incident at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) in Johor Bahru last month, which resulted in a fire which claimed the lives of six people.

A short-circuit the next day left three HSA staff injured.

The fire at the HSA's intensive care unit occurred on Oct 25 and the small fire in the hospital's operation theatre was reported the following day.

"They were isolated incidents. They happened in different places so they were not connected to one another. However, we are carrying out an audit at all hospitals," Dr Subramaniam told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby today.

According to the minister, there are many systems within hospitals, including monitoring, risk identification and the taking of preventive and ratification measures.

"Unfortunately, something was missed and that is what we need to identify through the two measures that we are now undertaking. One is a special commission that is going to look at the complete process, not limited to HSA but other hospitals.

"Second, is the audit that will be carried out throughout the hospital to identify any common threat and create a programme to solve those threats," he said.

Earlier this morning, Ward 5B at HRPB had to be evacuated and 43 patients transferred to a few nearby wards following the fire, believed to have been sparked by a patient's malfunctioning bed panel. -- BERNAMA