Man claims, in viral audio, he was held against his will in the ICU

 

The Penang Health Department has refuted claims in a viral audio recording that a Covid-19 patient was being held against his will in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Penang Hospital.

In the audio recording, the patient, Affendy Mohd Yusof, claimed he was healthy but was forced to use a ventilator by the medical officers at the hospital.

However, the state Health Department said Affendy was placed in the ICU after he was confirmed to be a Category 4 Covid-19 patient and tests had found his blood oxygen was at a very concerning level.

“As such, oxygen therapy treatment was started. However, further tests found the patient’s condition was getting more critical, to the point that his blood oxygen level can only be stabilised by using a ventilator.

“The ICU medical officers had informed the patient and his family about his critical condition. The hospital had also explained multiple times to the patient and his family about the risk to his body and life if he did not allow the hospital to provide him with the treatment.

“However, the patient still did not agree with the recommended treatment and requested to leave, upon his own risk,” Penang Health Department director Dr Ma’arof Sudin said in a statement today.

Despite the patient’s refusal to accept the oxygen therapy treatment and the ventilator, Ma’arof said Affendy was still placed in the ICU to be monitored as his condition was critical.

There was also the risk of spreading Covid-19 if the patient was allowed to leave, he added.

The hospital also denied allegations that patients are not given food while in the ICU.

Ma’arof said patients in ICU are given liquid food, such as milk, to facilitate the digestive process and to avoid complications.

The audio recording went viral on social media yesterday, with the patient claiming he was being forced by the medical staff to stay in the ICU of the Penang Hospital against his will.

The man, who has been treated at the hospital since last week, also claimed he had only come to the hospital to get screened for Covid-19 before being taken in for treatment in the Covid-19 ward.

The patient had also claimed that a friend of his encountered a similar situation after going to the Penang Hospital to get tested for Covid-19. - Mkini