COVID-19 | Having spent months caring for Covid-19 positive patients at Sungai Buloh Hospital, Dr Mustafa Kamal was frustrated, burnt out, and eventually forced to take time off work to protect his mental health.
The 27-year-old medical officer took his plight to social media after both a recent emergency leave request and approval for medical leave was queried by an unsympathetic superior.
When contacted, Mustafa said he is now back at work, despite still feeling unwell.
"I had never taken an MC, took emergency leave, or been in quarantine throughout the Covid period.
"It was my first time taking EL and MC, but my superior lost his temper as if it's a regular issue," he told Malaysiakini.
According to Mustafa, he went to the hospital's psychiatric unit after feeling burnt out and developing anxiety symptoms at every start of his working shift.
"I asked to be transferred to MAEPS for logistics reasons.
"I'm residing in Bukit Jalil, and MAEPS is eight kilometres from home," he said in reference to the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang which has been converted as a Covid-19 Quarantine and Low Risk Treatment Centre.
"The cost of travelling to Sungai Buloh is not that cheap. Costs me about RM300 every month and it's time-consuming," Mustafa said, adding that it could take him up to one hour from home to work.
After a consultation, Mustafa said he was prescribed medication to treat anxiety and recommended to resubmit his transfer request.
However, he said his experience dealing with the system has left him feeling exasperated and despairing.
"I don't think I can ever trust the system anymore.
"I've done everything by the book but whatever I do gets told off," he said.
Mustafa also shared screenshots of several conversations said to be with his superior who implied that he might not be suitable for Covid-19 work if burning out is becoming an issue.
Overall, he said it was understandable that many doctors in a similar situation would be afraid to speak out, but urged them to come forward nonetheless.
"I just want every healthcare staff to be treated properly and as humane as possible," he stressed on his motivation for speaking out.
Yesterday, another doctor from Sungai Buloh Hospital highlighted a beyond breaking point condition for health personnel assigned to the Covid-19 facility.
Among others, the doctor said the hospital lacked basic amenities such as on-call rooms and on-call food amid growing numbers of new Covid-19 patients.
Malaysiakini is attempting to contact Sungai Buloh Hospital for a response to these claims.
Yesterday, on day three of the latest movement control order, Malaysia recorded its highest ever daily infections with 4,029 new Covid-19 cases. - Mkini
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