THERE are not many serious cases of bullying of house officers and trainee doctors, according to Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Koh Kar Chai.

Koh said recent reports of bullying should not be misunderstood.

“When bullying is reported, it appears as if that one case is something that is happening frequently, so due to that one case, all previous cases are mentioned.

“Does this mean that a handful of cases translates to many throughout the years?” he said at a press conference at the MMA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

The recent death of a house officer at Penang Hospital has brought the issue of bullying junior doctors to the fore.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the Ministry of Health will form an independent task force to investigate the recent case in Penang, where the doctor reportedly committed suicide.

He said the unit will also probe alleged bullying among trainee doctors in the government service.

The houseman had died after falling from an office building on Jalan Dato Keramat, George Town.

Police are investigating the case as sudden death but could reclassify it if fresh evidence comes to light.

The houseman had been at the hospital just three weeks.

Koh said that it is crucial to focus and understand why there is stress among doctors.

“We can talk about providing world class healthcare to the masses, but we have to care for the healthcare providers first.

“If they get ill, will they be able to care for the patients?”

He added that MOH should look into issues faced by housemen in their training and the welfare of the doctors in public healthcare.

“This isn’t just about housemen alone, but about the huge mental burden placed on the shoulders of all doctors.” – May 10, 2022.