Vendor Failed To Report Faulty Surgical Light: HA

The Hospital Authority (HA) on Tuesday revealed that its vendor failed to report an incident involving a faulty surgical light.

The HA said the manufacturer and maintenance vendor had notified the United States Food and Drug Administration of a missing screw on one of its surgical lights, but the incident had not been reported to the HA.

It's not immediately known where or when that incident occurred.

In a statement, the HA expressed regret over the vendor's failure to disclose the potential risk to healthcare workers and patients.

It said it's using one surgical light of the same model, adding that checks show the item is considered safe. But the model was not used at United Christian Hospital where a surgical lighting unit fell from the ceiling of an operating theatre on Saturday.

The HA has subsequently suspended the use of 16 operating theatres across public hospitals after screws were found to have come loose on their surgical lights.

It reiterated the safety of patients and staff is its prime concern, noting that it had commissioned an independent engineering expert to find out the cause of the incident.

"The HA will continue to follow up the incident seriously, and has ordered the vendor to continue to inspect the surgical lights in public hospitals and submit a report on the incident, and to make appropriate and effective follow-up to prevent similar incidents from happening again," an HA spokesman said in the statement.

"The HA reserves rights to pursue relevant responsibilities against the vendor."