[UPDATED] All treated equally, assures Zaliha, after patient barred from hospital over attire

KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has assured the public that in principle, all patients will be treated equally at public healthcare facilities regardless of race, religion, and also attire.

In a social media posting this evening, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa reminded that public healthcare officials, especially doctors, have to uphold the Hippocratic Oath to provide the best care to their patients.

“All medical practitioners must maintain their code of ethics after taking the Hippocratic Oath, including giving the best care to their patients,” she said on Twitter.

Setiap pengamal perubatan perlu menjaga etika mereka setelah mengangkat sumpah. Hippocratic Oath yang diikrar oleh para doktor dan pengamal perubatan termasuk kesediaan membantu pesakit sebaik mungkin.

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— Dr.Zaliha Mustafa (@Zaliha_DrZ) February 15, 2023

This comes after a news report of a patient being denied care at Kampar Hospital, Perak recently.

Nanyang Siang Pau had reported the incident after speaking to a friend of the 21-year-old woman, who was refused entry when she was brought to the emergency department there for severe stomach pains.

The Chinese-language newspaper quoted one Damian Chen who said he and the woman’s boyfriend drove her to the hospital’s emergency room, where a medical assistant turned her away.

The woman had filled out her information at the registration counter when a medical assistant allegedly pointed out that it was “impolite” of her to be dressed in shorts and told her to change into long pants in order to enter.

When the men protested, they were scolded for being uncouth, Chen said. They were told that the dress code was “hospital rules”.

Earlier this month, a woman was denied entry to Kajang police station when she wanted to lodge a report over an accident. 

She was then asked to change into something more appropriate, in line with the dressing etiquette set for government premises. 

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said that the dress code enforcement was based on a directive on visiting public offices by the chief secretary to the government, which grants all heads of department discretion to determine dressing etiquette. – The Vibes, February 15, 2023