KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has denied a medical officer’s allegation that the general medical department of Seri Manjung Hospital is facing severe staff shortages.
Perak state health director Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha said the medical department of Seri Manjung Hospital, a minor specialist hospital in the state, currently has 30 medical officers who cover four medical wards, with an average of seven medical officers per ward.
Seri Manjung Hospital’s overall bed occupancy rate (BOR) averages at 80 to 90 per cent out of 305 beds. The medical department was at near or over-capacity this year, with a BOR of between 90 and 120 per cent.
“With this BOR rate, on average, there are 25 to 33 patients in each ward, where on average each medical officer treats between three and four patients at any one time,” Dr Feisul said in a statement today, in response to an article published last December 12 by CodeBlue titled “I’m Sorry We Couldn’t Save Your Loved Ones — Seri Manjung Hospital Medical Officer”.
“The frequency of active on-calls for each medical officer is about four to five times a month, while passive calls (Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) are two to three times a month.
“Therefore, at this time, the workload for medical officers who treat patients in wards and the frequency of on-call duties are equivalent to other hospitals and considered to be not too burdensome.
“Nonetheless, engagement sessions between the hospital director, department heads, and medical officers will continue to help resolve arising issues.”
In a letter to CodeBlue, a medical officer at the general medical department of Seri Manjung Hospital alleged a severe lack of manpower in their department with the highest workload and number of patients than other departments, as more and more doctors quit.
The doctor claimed that during on-call duty after 5pm, medical officers attend to at least 10 patients, adding that the medical department does not have any housemen.
The medical officer further alleged that there are days in the medical department when a doctor has 16 to 20 patients under their care alone.
