KUALA LUMPUR – Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin lent an ear to several Selayang Hospital housemen early this morning, prior to announcing members of an independent task force to investigate the death of a Penang Hospital trainee doctor and widespread allegations of bullying in the industry.
Sharing images of the meeting held before the housemen started their daily rounds at 6am, Khairy said on Twitter that they confided many matters to him.
“There are departments with a good work environment and others where things can be improved. The past and the present are different. A work environment should have respect, support and be empowering instead of abusive and humiliating.”
Yesterday, Khairy said details on the task force would be revealed today, adding that the unit would look into several individuals from five departments who were allegedly involved in the bullying of the deceased Penang Hospital houseman.
He said some of the accused healthcare workers are specialist doctors and had not been suspended or transferred to a different department while investigations were ongoing.
The death of the houseman three weeks after his posting to Penang Hospital 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.
Several doctors, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, said bullying in the medical fraternity is a pervasive problem. – The Vibes, May 13, 2022
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