Independent specialists to 'find the truth' behind the outbreak at Baptist Hospital
After weeks of controversy over its behaviour during the Sars outbreak, Baptist Hospital has launched a campaign to clear its name.
The private hospital announced yesterday it had appointed an independent commission, led by a retired judge, to 'find out the truth' behind the outbreak that earned it an unprecedented reprimand by the Department of Health and led to its chief executive being sacked.
In a statement published in major newspapers yesterday, Baptist Hospital said a team of three people, headed by former Justice of Appeal Benjamin Liu Tze-ming, had been set up to 'inquire into criticisms raised with reference to the Sars cases on the 9th floor in April 2003'.
The two other members are John Wong, professor of surgery at the University of Hong Kong, and Jean Woo Ling-fong, professor of medicine at the Chinese University.
The plan to create the commission was announced earlier this month by the hospital after it had been criticised by Director of Health Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun for its slow response to the Sars outbreak and 'failure to take patients' rights seriously'.
The hospital admitted it had Sars cases on May 6 only after the angry relatives of patients had called a radio talkback show.
