Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya urged netizens to hold off on spewing harsh comments regarding the recent viral stillbirth episode at Likas Women and Children’s Hospital as it is disheartening to healthcare workers.
He said the State Health Department (JKNS) is still probing the matter and it is not yet proven whether the incident was caused by negligence of healthcare workers.
“Investigations are underway and the family is being consulted. We are still waiting for the results of the investigation from the Health Ministry.
“Many netizens have expressed anger and hurled verbally abusive comments towards nurses and doctors on social media. This is not something we should do as a society as it is detrimental to our healthcare workers’ morale.
“Whether or not there was negligence or inefficiency in their services, let the relevant parties conduct a transparent investigation for now,” he told a press conference after officiating at the eBusKK flag off ceremony at Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) on Friday.
He urged the community to instead practise the country’s National Principles (Rukun Negara), namely courtesy and morality, while waiting for the results of the probe.
Shahelmey also asked the community to be patient with the matter, as the healthcare system’s ethical standard operating procedures (SOP) stipulate that certain information cannot be divulged to the public.
As such, Shahelmey had discussed with State Health Director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin to set up a corporate communications unit in every hospital to establish direct and honest communication with the public