MIRI – A Miri Hospital staffer’s minute-long video of a distressed woman who refused to leave after visiting hours has courted criticism against the employee.
The clip, which made the rounds on social media, has since been deleted.
The hospital management, in a statement today, said the incident caught on camera yesterday occurred in a common ward, and not the hospital’s Covid-19 isolation and treatment ward.
“The hospital wants to clarify the incident with regard to the video that went viral.
“The woman became emotional when she was asked by staff to leave the ward after visiting a family member.
“The hospital has tightened visiting rules due to safety concerns in view of the Covid-19 situation here.
“The ward staff told the woman that she must leave as visiting hours were over, but she refused. She became emotional and argumentative.
“A staff member took a video of her as evidence to show to the hospital management.”
The incident was resolved when police persuaded the woman to calm down and leave, said the statement.
Before the clip was taken down, netizens lashed out at the employee who took the video and uploaded it to social media.
“Why did the hospital staffer record the woman’s emotional outburst? Why did the staffer not just call for security and police immediately?
“How did the video end up on Facebook?” asked one social media user.
It is learnt that Miri politicians have spoken to the hospital management about the video.
The hospital is currently treating some 300 Covid-19 patients, on top of non-coronavirus cases. It has barred non-emergency visits.
Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching, Sibu Hospital and Bintulu Hospital are the other Covid-19 hospitals in the state. – The Vibes, February 4, 2021
