GEORGE TOWN, July 30 – The health ministry has formed a special committee headed by the health deputy director-general to investigate allegations that three doctors practised racism and provided poor service to some patients at a government hospital in the state.
The minister, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, said the committee had begun the investigation and managed to gather information from the patients concerned.
“We have set up the committee, together with the state health director, to investigate the matter. The investigation is expected to be completed soon and the committee will submit a full report to me,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam was speaking to reporters after a meeting with state MIC leaders here today.
At the State Assembly sitting early this month, Pinang Tunggal assemblyman Datuk Roslan Saidin and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had raised the issue of alleged racist doctors at a government hospital.
Asked whether the ministry was waiting for a report from the Penang Government, Dr Subramaniam said his ministry had made its own enquiry and discussed the issue with the patients and doctors concerned.
“We have identified a few problems which led to the issue, including poor communications skills and lack of clinical competency.
“It does not look like an element of racism involved in this issue. It so happens that the doctors involved seem to be Chinese and the patients concerned were Malays,” he said.
On July 23, Roslan, to support claims contained in his report, convened a press conference where the patients were brought along to give their side of the story on the allegedly poor treatment given by doctors at a government hospital in the state.
– BERNAMA
