Penang gov't urges MOH to establish inquiry panel to investigate houseman's death

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government today urged the Health Ministry (MOH) to set up a special inquiry committee to investigate the recent death of a houseman attached to the Penang Hospital (HPP).

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said setting up an inquiry is important to determine the actual cause of the incident and to avoid such incidents from recurring, especially involving trainee doctors in the country.

"The Health Ministry and relevant authorities must immediately come forward to explain what happened, and at the same time review and revamp the existing management system if necessary, especially involving the working hours for doctors in medical institutions now," he said in a statement here today.

He said there was a need to expedite appropriate strategies and solutions for the country's medical system as a whole.

In the April 17 incident, a houseman with HPP was found dead, believed to have fallen from his residential unit in a nearby building.

Yesterday, Penang Health Department (JKNPP) director Dr Maarof Sudin confirmed that the houseman was a graduate medical officer who had reported to work at HPP on April 4, and his (Dr Maarof) team would give full cooperation to the police in the investigation.

On Tuesday, a news portal reported that Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Soffian Santong confirmed that a junior doctor from HPP was found dead believed to have fallen from a building and that the case was being investigated as sudden death.

However, Soffian said police did not rule out reclassifying the case if new evidence was found in the investigation.

In December 2020, a trainee doctor at the HPP was also found dead at home in Bukit Jambul, believed to have committed suicide.

-- BERNAMA