KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — The Negri Sembilan State Health Department today said a disagreement between a government doctor in Seremban and a patient has been resolved peacefully, after a video clip of the incident spread through social media.

Its director-general Dr Mohamad Faid Abd Rashid said the department contacted both sides for clarification after learning about the altercation and conducted a negotiation.

“This issue has been settled via negotiation between the two parties,” he said in a statement without disclosing further details about the incident.

He urged the public against speculating about the incident and to verify their information directly with the department or the Health Ministry.

Advertisement

He advised those dissatisfied with public healthcare services to file their complaints through official channels instead of through social media.

He also reminded the public that they are barred from recording images at government health facilities without prior permission, explaining that the policy is to protect the privacy of other patients there.

A 28-second video clip showing a man in a white lab coat telling an unseen person, believed to be a patient, to leave the facility was recently circulated on several social media platforms.

Advertisement

A woman’s voice could be heard in the clip asking the man if he was a government doctor and to show his face, which he acquiesced. The woman said she would also upload their encounter on social media.

The purported incident took place at the Seremban government clinic and is said to involve a woman who claimed she had gone for a check-up for her cough and flu, according to a Facebook posting that has since made its way to other channels.

The woman accused the doctor of not checking her breathing and prescribing the wrong medication for flu and diarrhoea, and claimed to be told by the pharmacist that there was no medication for cough.

She claimed to have been told to wait several times before finally being able to ask the doctor for a clarification, but was shouted at.

A 28-second video recording of the doctor's outburst was spread via Facebook and WhatsApp, telling the recorder who was reportedly his earlier patient to leave the facility, if she cannot bear the waiting time.

Many on Twitter however, came to the defence of the doctor, after the video of the altercation was posted on the microblogging site that was critical of the man.

“You guys have no idea how much stress government doctors need to deal with patients. And these patients are getting free health care and want to act entitled and do personal attack,” a Twitter user under the platform The Inquisitive Observer/ Thinker wrote, tagging Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad and adding “@DrDzulclearly our doctors are too stressed”.

“This video is clearly misleading and out of context. And usually people who threaten to make people viral like the dialogue are the one whos cheap & making mistakes. Tin kosong berbunyi kuat, isi kosong,” another user, alienmira@mllamira tweeted.

“Kena tahu side doctor tu juga. What triggered him to be like this? Yes the doctor should be professional, but we all human. I eager to know another side of the story. And hope KKM and@DrDzul investigate both sides. A doctor, to be like this, must be something,” wrote Redzwan Sam @RedzDerCzar.