20 days ago while operating, I was informed by my anaesthetist that a mishap occured. An ambulance from Seremban Hospital on its way to Selayang Hospital had one of its tyre burst sending the ambulance with its 6 occupants into a ravine. 3 newspaper reported the incident in a small column mentioning that all 6 occpants were treated as outpatients and discharged. The truth – The driver was admitted for observation suffering from cerebral concussion. The patient arrived to Selayang Hospital and an elective surgery was set for him (urgency?). The nurse had some cerebral injury with liver and spleen injuries for which she was inubated and treated conservatively in ICU and later recovered. The worst,a lady doctor, houseman 2 months into her service, married was brought in with GCS 3/15 with severe head injury and bilateral multiple rib fractures and bilateral haemopneumothorax. She was also found to have a lax anus which suggested that she probably had cervical spine injury. If not mistaken, she was later found to be a primid in her early pregnancy. The other 2 occupants – not known.

Guess what? It took the newspaper 4 days to publish the accident. The doctor passed away recently and again the papers took another 4 – 5 days to publish the outcome. In between, the Minister and DG promised compensation and presence of insurance coverage for doctors accompanying patients in any transport. An inquiry was promised. A compensation was also promised.

Outcome? Well the lady housman passed away on day 19 post trauma in Serdang Hospital. No compensation was given as she is not confirmed in service. MMA gave a cheque for RM10 000/=
as a form of sympathy. Many unresolved issue, nobody seems to question and address these issues.

Problem: to be confirmed one will have to work for at least a year and have successfully completed their kursus induksi. Therefore, most of them who are not confirmed are all houseman and some junior MO. These are the people who will end up accompanying patients. And they are not covered. It is different for the nurses and MA or attentdents, as most of them are already confirmed in service thus the ex-gratia scheme comes into act if anything do happen to them.

Other issues: 1.maintenance of the ambulance and credibility of the drivers.
2. When does a doctor accompany a patient — this case was totally unnecessary for any doctors to accompany.
3. Can a doctor exercise his right to refuse to accompany patient since he is not covered? Or does he do it for the patient and country even if the government could not care less for their doctors!
4. When a police officer goes down in the line of duty or when two paratroopers collide among themselves, their fate and condition is alerted in the news for public knowledge. But when a doctor goes done in “the service of mankind”, why hush it and do we condone it?

Many senior doctors feel sad for her and many junior doctors are worried about their safety. Immediate family members and spouse and children are all worried and sympathetic. But where is our voice? What has the government and MMA have to say? What do our fellow doctors say?

As for me I have brought my disgust and opinions up directly to the President of MMA but wonder whether it fell on deaf ears.

My condolences to the spouse and parents of Dr Nor Baizura.