IPOH, Perak: The Kampar Hospital has never denied patients who do not comply with its dress code from receiving treatment or given out such orders, its director Dr Khairul Azha Azam said.
Dr Khairul said every patient seeking treatment at the hospital is attended to in any situation, especially during emergencies.
“Referring to the incident that went viral on social media regarding a female patient at the triage counter on Feb 13, preliminary reports found that the woman, in her early 20s, came to the Kampar Hospital’s emergency unit and was checked by the officer on duty,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 15).
“She was reprimanded by the officer for wearing shorts. The officer on duty then brought a shirt and hospital gown for the woman to wear temporarily, but she had left the triage counter and informed the other staff that she would seek treatment at a private clinic.”
Dr Khairul added the woman returned to the emergency unit, and received treatment from the doctor on duty and was allowed to go home.
Following the incident, he said the officer involved had been reprimanded because what he did was wrong and action has been taken to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.
He also said hospital staff have been told to accept patients regardless of their attire.
“EVERY PATIENT SHOULD BE GIVEN TREATMENT”
Malaysia’s Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa weighed in on Wednesday, tweeting: “I would like to emphasise that, in principle, every patient should be given treatment regardless of race, ethnicity or dress code.
“Every medical practitioner needs to maintain their ethics after taking the Hippocratic Oath.
“The Hippocratic Oath pledged by doctors and medical practitioners includes the willingness to help patients as best as possible.”