RECENTLY, a woman brought to light her problem with attire when she was not allowed to enter a police station to lodge a report.

Understandably, she had had an accident and wanted to lodge the report before going home.

Now, a young woman who was suffering from acute stomach pain was refused treatment at the emergency department of Kampar Hospital by a nurse because she was wearing short pants.

She was at a badminton game when she suffered stomach cramps. She could not have gone home to change to a proper attire before going to hospital.

I see this as a problem of lack of compassion for a sick person, and the nurse had no right to refuse the woman medical treatment just because of her attire.

Her attitude is deplorable and she, together with the hospital director, owes the family of the woman an apology.

Root cause

The other problem I see is the failure of the ministry’s senior officers in dealing with similar complaints in the past.

The ministry should address issues that directly affect the patients’ well-being.

Recently, I went to a health clinic in my area. While walking up the stairs, I fell. I wrote to the health director-general on January 27.

While most people would not bother, I took the trouble to remind him again this morning to respond to my email.

I also decided that the health minister should be aware of my complaint.

In the event of injury to any patient, the minister should know that this is not the fault of the clinic staff who are similarly subjected to the poor facilities, which have been there for the past 11 years.

I dread to think when there is an emergency evacuation.

In the case of the woman who was denied entry into Kampar Hospital, the director-general should give an explanation.

It takes a good leader to go to the ground and address any issue that arises himself.

Whatever the hospital’s standard operating procedure, now that this issue has cropped up, both the director-general and hospital director should be answerable for it.

They should ensure that the staff are told that, above all SOPs, the patients’ well-being should be the top priority. – February 15, 2023.

* Stephen Ng reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.