GEORGE TOWN – Former Penang Medical Practitioners’ Society president Dr Ong Hean Teik has suggested that the newly minted Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) take a serious look into mental health issues and training weaknesses among the medical fraternity.
Ong, who is a popular cardiologist here, said the task force should get to the bottom of the mental stresses, especially among housemen in government hospitals.
He added that depression, inadequate medical training programmes, the absence of career prospects and disorganised postgraduate training are issues that have been brewing for decades.
Aside from mental health support and better training, he has joined the chorus urging the Health Ministry to investigate allegations of rife bullying and racism at the Penang Hospital.
The task force convened for the first time yesterday to discuss critical issues surrounding its workforce, following a recent bullying incident in Penang.
Among other matters discussed by the task force was its action plan involving the input of other professional bodies, agencies, and non-governmental bodies to ensure better working culture among its staff.
On May 13, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced the formation of HWCITF, which is tasked to look into bettering the working culture among Health Ministry staff following the bullying incident in Penang.
The task force is led by former science, technology, and innovation ministry secretary-general Datuk Siti Hamisah Tapsir and also includes seven other professionals and experts.
The recent death of the Penang Hospital houseman 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. – The Vibes, May 17, 2022
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