KOTA KINABALU: A concrete house is the prerequisite for 6-year-old Siti Aryani Zainah to be discharged from Sabah Women and Children hospital.
  The girl, from Tuaran, was diagnosed with Vitamin D dependency rickets type II in 2008 had since depending on mechanical ventilator to breath.  She was certified stable and medically fit to be home-ventilated a year later.
   Social worker Ooi Kong Eow told New Straits Times that the plan had been delayed until today as the family was having financial constraint in providing a house that has satisfied the discharge requirement.
  Previously, the family was staying in a dilapidated wooden house without power supplies.
  He also explained that the home-ventilator came with an oxygen tank and it was best to avoid flammable and ignitable sources.
  "They had applied for low cost housing as well as financial aid but both were turned down.  
  "The family finally resorts to build a box-like brick house from scratch after the previous building was demolished,"he said.
   Ooi added that prolong hospital stay would not only affect Siti's quality of life, but also expose her to hospital acquired infection and other contagious diseases.
   State Community Development and Consumer Affairs minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said the  ministry under the Public Welfare Services department would gather the details on the family for further action.with regard to her need for a decent house so the appropriate agency would be the district office concerned.
“However, my ministry through the Department of Public Welfare Services (JPKA) most probably could look into assisting the family with the ventilator if necessary,” said Azizah when contacted yesterday.