KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) has suggested the formation of an independent body to review the Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) on bullying of health care workers in the public service.
PN health committee chairman Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi noted criticisms of the HWCITF report published in 2022, under then-Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, that found the HWCITF’s poll of workers across all 30 service schemes in the Ministry of Health (MOH) to contain little analysis specifically on medical officers.
“Even when the issue of bullying in a hospital in Sabah last week has yet to subside, we were shocked with the death of Dr Tay Tien Yaa,” Dr Ahmad Yunus said in a statement yesterday.
Dr Tay, a UD52 chemical pathologist from Lahad Datu Hospital in Sabah, died from suicide last month; her family has blamed the death of the 30-something specialist doctor on workplace bullying from her superior.
“Last year, the country reported two deaths in June. One of the victims was reportedly pregnant and faced mental pressures that were said to be the main cause of the tragic incident.”
Dr Ahmad Yunus was referring to the deaths of two health care workers who had worked in different health care facilities in Klang, Selangor, in June 2023, suspected to be suicide.
“Ministers have come and gone, while review after review has been conducted. However, the country still has yet to resolve this problem thoroughly or comprehensively,” said Dr Ahmad Yunus, who is also the Kuala Langat MP.
“The Perikatan Nasional MPs’ Health Committee believes that the main cause is the government’s failure to resolve the fundamental issues of the country’s health care system that is now at a critical level.
“Is the bullying issue unsolved because we refuse to take stern action against these dastardly bullies?”
Dr Ahmad Yunus also noted that MOH’s MyHELP line has yet to resolve bullying cases among medical practitioners in the public health service, besides failing to take into account constraints by workers on the field.
He suggested that cases of bullying of health care workers be reported to the Health parliamentary special select committee, which he is a member of, in stakeholder engagement sessions.
“Health care workers are a critical asset of the country who need to be taken care of. We always ask them to give their best to patients; now is the time for us to do the best for them.”
