Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran, a former Sungai Bakap Hospital director in Penang, said he read with angst and dismay the Facebook post by the late pathologist’s sister on the death of the promising medical specialist on Aug 29.
He said the passionate post talked about alleged bullying that may have been one of the causes, adding that the health minister and the director-general must order a probe to clarify the matter as the allegations are serious and have gone viral on social media.
“I am not concluding it’s true but since the claim has gone public, the family needs answers,” Lingeshwaran told FMT.
He added that a few years ago, under the previous administration, a task force was set up to conduct free and fair investigations to get to the root of the bullying problem in a bid to eradicate the menace in public hospitals.
“What happened to the findings? What steps have been taken to overcome the incidence of bullying within the system? How many more lives need to be lost before we act on this systematically?
“If this was your spouse or children or any other loved ones, would you just be sitting idle accepting condolences?” he said.
Lingeshwaran urged health ministry officials to conduct an immediate probe, adding that the chief secretary to the government should also look into the matter.
In the post yesterday, the younger sister said the Russian-trained doctor in 2013 had completed her masters in chemical pathology last year at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
“She got married last year and reported for work as head of the chemical pathology unit (in a Sabah hospital) in February. Although she was far away from her husband, she went there based on the promise by the authorities that she will be posted back to the Peninsular after two years,” she said.
The sister said her whole family is still in shock after being informed by the hospital on Aug 29, just six months after she reported for duty, that her sister had died.
“Problems related to pressure and bullying at work happen and it is a serious matter. Her loss is not just a personal tragedy but it reflects on the existing healthcare system we have,” she said.
FMT has reached out to the health minister and other officials for comment.
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