KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department (JKNS) is currently looking into issues concerning the welfare of medical doctors in the state.
“Dr Ooi Choo Huck, the director of JKNS is already looking into the issues,” said Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian yesterday.
He told this to New Sarawak Tribune when asked to comment on a remark by a district health officer in Sarawak who said that sometimes doctors were stigmatised and mocked by superiors if they were unable to grasp their work or seek help when they were mentally or physically exhausted.
The district health officer also recently told The Star that: “When you are new, you take time to remember your patients, know what’s going on with them. But you have to know every patient under you.
“Some are penalised over small matters, and it is this fear of needless punishment that pushes house officers to the brink,” the officer reportedly said.
Sometimes, senior medical officers reportedly told juniors to quit if they can’t take it, instead of showing empathy.
Exhaustion has led to some doctors being involved in accidents, even fatal ones, while driving home after work, the officer was quoted in The Star.
“Some are clinically depressed,” she said, adding that she hoped that the Health Ministry would look into revamping the housemanship system.
“I also hope all healthcare staff can be educated on mental health issues within the fraternity,” she said.
She added that administrative medical officers should also undergo training on how to organise their juniors.
“If they don’t care for them, they have no business being in charge of house officers.”
The problem, she said, was that these medical officers (MOs) had gone through the same regimen.
“This culture of ‘I went through hard times, so you need to do so too’ has to stop,” she said.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government said that there was no place for bullying in the medical field.
“But one must also realise that medicine is a tough profession. It requires vigorous practical training after medical school as your life and my life are depending on the well trained in practical medicine rather than theoretical medicine,” he said.
He added that should doctors face any problems such as bullying and others, they are urged to seek help at the facilities or platform that are available.
“They can seek help from the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), as well as senior medical doctors in private hospitals or clinics. Please get help.
“But if it is not related to the medical profession, they are urged to seek help from non-governmental organisations (NGO) and the hospital hotlines are ready to help,” he assured.
Dr Sim also said that he was also shocked and concerned about the death by falling of a houseman in Penang recently.
“We will let the relevant authorities, the universities and medical professions such as MMA to investigate thoroughly,” he said.
