Viral meal at Bukit Mertajam Hospital was afternoon tea, not main meal

 

- NSTP FILE PIC

GEORGE TOWN: The viral meal photo involving medical officers on call at Bukit Mertajam Hospital (HBM) showed an afternoon tea serving, not a main meal, the Penang Health Department said.

The department said the serving was one of four meals provided throughout the day — breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

The meals were planned by HBM's Dietetics and Food Services Department, with menus prepared by dietitians and food preparation assistant officers based on the Health Ministry's Hospital Diet, Dietetics and Food Services Manual.

Penang Health director Dr Zulhizzam Abdullah said the manual provided for four meals a day, with a total daily energy intake of between 1,500 and 1,800 kcal.

"The department and HBM acknowledge and appreciate the public's concern and feedback regarding the provision of food for medical officers on call," he said in a statement.

Dr Zulhizzam said the department understood that the viral photograph could create different perceptions when viewed without the context of the overall food provision.

He said the department and the hospital would continue reviewing areas for improvement to ensure food provision was properly implemented and the welfare of officers on duty remained a priority. - NST