Speak up if you’re being bullied, MMA tells doctors

 

The Malaysian Medical Association said healthcare workers who were sexually harassed should lodge a police report.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged healthcare workers regardless of rank to speak up if they are bullied.

Its president, Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai, said those who have been bullied should lodge a report with the association’s HelpDoc helpline or the health ministry’s MyHelp complaint reporting system so that action can be taken.

“Do not fear senior colleagues or the hospital’s management, make a report and if there is sexual harassment, report it to the police,” he said in a statement.

Ads by Kiosked

“You do not have to suffer in silence. The situation can only improve when you take action and make a report.”

Muruga was responding to health news portal CodeBlue’s report on allegations of housemen being bullied by their senior colleagues at the Sungai Buloh Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department.

CodeBlue said it had received a letter detailing how medical officers bullied trainee doctors, and that health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had ordered an immediate investigation after receiving the complaint.

While MMA lauded Zaliha’s quick action, Muruga said, the association hoped the suggestions it made during last month’s closed-door town hall meeting to end bullying in public healthcare facilities would be taken up and implemented.

The MMA had proposed that all heads of departments in public healthcare facilities be made fully accountable for any bullying that took place in their departments, he said.

“We had also proposed that housemen do not work beyond their working hours to prevent being overworked.” - FMT