PUTRAJAYA – Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin will be announcing details of the special task force to investigate the death of a Penang Hospital houseman and rampant allegations of bullying in the medical fraternity.
Speaking to the media after officiating an International Nurses’ Day 2022 event here today, he said he will not be chairing the independent task force and will be disclosing more on the matter tomorrow.
He also said the task force will look into several individuals from five departments who were allegedly involved in the bullying of the houseman.
“Investigations are currently being conducted by our integrity unit according to the proper processes.
“Complaints of this nature will take several weeks to process as they involve heavy accusations about unprofessional behaviour at the workplace,” he said, adding that interview sessions will be carried out with the senior doctors.
He added that pending the presentation of the final findings, accused healthcare workers are on duty as usual and have not been suspended or transferred to a different department.
“Some of the names received were specialist doctors, so transferring them elsewhere would not be a simple arrangement. For now, all of them are still working while investigations are conducted,” he said.
Yesterday, northeast acting district police chief V. Saravanan told The Vibes that authorities recorded statements from the houseman’s father, brother, and girlfriend, adding that police have yet to receive the results of the victim’s autopsy.
The death is believed to be the second involving a junior doctor in the state. In December 2020, The Vibes reported that a doctor who had resigned from the same hospital had died suddenly.
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/60045/penang-hospital-houseman-dies-after-fall-from-building
Several doctors, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, said bullying in the medical fraternity is a pervasive problem.
Meanwhile, Khairy dismissed allegations of the ministry’s revival of a circular barring staff from speaking with media being related with the recent influx of junior doctors’ complaints of toxicity in the workplace.
“The policy is a standard directive (which details that) only authorised individuals can give statements to the media,” he said, stressing that emphasis should instead be on how the ministry has taken note of complaints and will be conducting transparent investigations.
Earlier today, a “Prohibition Policy” was sighted on the ministry’s main page, reminding staff that they are restricted from making public statements and publishing their views on platforms that may bring the government into disrepute.
Khairy also expressed his frustration with how allegations regarding bullying in the workplace are shared on social media platforms instead of through proper channels.
“I don’t mean to trivialise such experiences and I take the matter seriously but as a minister, I cannot take the necessary action if accusations are made on social media.”
Over the past weeks, movements such as Hartal Doktor Kontrak have published allegations by anonymous individuals sharing their experience at local hospitals, with many claiming that they were pushed to the brink of suicide and self-harm because of harsh treatment from senior doctors. – The Vibes, May 12, 2022
