Sungai Buloh Hospital: Allegations of housemen bullying investigated, improvements made
KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — Sungai Buloh Hospital said today that a committee was formed to investigate claims that housemen were bullied at the hospital and determine its causes and immediate improvement measures.
The investigation found that half of the complaints were valid, while the other half were invalid, the hospital director said in a statement posted on the public hospital’s social media.
“Sungai Buloh Hospital’s top management views the issues raised seriously, especially when it involves the issue of bullying,” the statement read.
It went on to say that measures to rectify the situation were implemented as soon as possible.
Besides that, any person who wishes to report bullying in medical workplaces can do so via the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) MyHELP@KKM system, it said.
A quick response (QR) code leading to the MyHELP@KKM webpage was attached to the statement as well.
Last Wednesday, a complainant identifying themselves as a representative of UD41 house officers at Sungai Buloh Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department sent a letter to online health news site CodeBlue, alleging that medical officers abused them daily.
The bullying included acts such as the use of misogynistic slurs, sexual comments towards female housemen, public humiliation, denying them annual leave, meals and rest breaks, and unreasonable work schedules.
“We are being verbally bullied, with harsh and vulgar words used when scolding housemen.
“For example, words like ‘bodoh’ (stupid), ‘anjing’ (dog), and also ‘b****’ are frequently used,” the complainant was quoted as saying.
They also said that the sexual comments made towards female housemen had driven at least one of them to suffer “mental pressures”.
MyHELP@KKM was launched in October last year by then health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy said that the system will make it easier for officers to make complaints about bullying cases directly as well as for follow-up action to be taken immediately through a transparent procedure, with the confidentiality of the complainant being maintained.
