Healthcare task force's findings on bullying a 'cover-up', alleges NGO

 

The Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force’s findings on the death of a house officer at Penang Hospital are a cover-up to safeguard the interest and the image of the Health Ministry and its institutions, claims NGO My Patriot Penang.

Its chairperson R Kalidas said, despite the task force finding no conclusive link between the officer’s death and a toxic workplace, it was an open secret that bullying and discrimination against house officers are rife in the Penang Hospital

He said it had been an issue for decades as several senior doctors admitted that they had undergone similar situations.

Kalidas claimed there also had been similar cover-ups in the past but the government cannot afford to do the same again if Malaysia is to move forward and compete in the rapidly developing world.

He added that the task force’s findings are a huge letdown as MyPatriot expected the truth of the matter to surface.

MyPatriot Penang consists of former service personnel, retired police, immigration personnel, and professionals.

“The task force should have approached the issue with a goal to address bullying and discrimination as many senior doctors have admitted that they have been bullied and discriminated against as house officers when the issue came to the surface.

“The task force could have further unearthed the bullying issue if it had focused on it instead of diversion.

“The report also admitted that there was bullying in the Health Ministry’s institutions, but said that it happened at different levels of the medical field. It also failed to elaborate on it,” he said.

Kalidas’ statement came after the task force completed its investigation into the death of a 25-year-old house officer at the Penang Hospital, who was found dead on April 17 after falling from his apartment building.

The task force concluded that there was no concrete evidence that linked workplace bullying to the officer’s death, but noted instances of coercion and overwork in the Health Ministry’s workforce.

“Due to a lack of time and access to more elaborate and detailed information, the task force will hold this view for as long as it does not receive any additional information on the house officer’s death from police investigations on the case.

“Incidences of bullying, burnout and unhealthy workplace culture do indeed occur in the ministry, but they happen on different levels and are not prevalent in all Health Ministry facilities,” task force chairperson Siti Hamisah Tapsir said during a press conference announcing its findings.

‘Findings expected’

Earlier, former Batu Uban assemblyperson Dr T Jayabalan said the findings were disappointing as they failed to address the issue at hand and the former cannot deny there was bullying among the workforce at public healthcare facilities.

While thanking the task force for its efforts, the medical doctor said it had only superficially touched on the issue of bullying and hazardous working conditions in the Health Ministry.

“I am surprised by the findings of the task force. However, the public expected it from the team,” Jayabalan said.

The task force concluded its work and said it found no "strong evidence" to suggest the 25-year-old Penang Hospital house officer, who was found dead on April 17 after falling from his apartment building, had suffered bullying. - Mkini