KUALA LUMPUR, August 1 — Former Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican questioned today why the problem of bullying and sexual harassment of house officers was not resolved early on.
Dr Ismail said he used to be very strict with his housemen, but stressed that he opposed bullying and sexual assault, amid rising complaints of such abuse among junior doctors.
“Why was it not nipped in the bud?” Dr Ismail said at a talk organised by the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy.
He said if it was an isolated case of one houseman complaining about a specialist, more fact finding had to be done.
“But if it has become an issue that is happening now, where everyone is coming out and saying the same thing, then you have to sit up and take notice,” said Dr Ismail.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said Monday that his ministry has started investigating allegations that an orthopaedics department head in a Klang Valley public hospital sexually harassed and propositioned young house officers.
The Malaysian Medical Association launched last August a helpline for doctors to complain about harassment or bullying.
