Call for inquiry into why a 17-year old boy had to be amputated twice a fall from a tree
Last weekend, together with the DAP MP for Ipoh, Sdr Lim Cho Hock and the DAP State Assemblymen for Gopeng, Sdr P.Patto, I visited the Ipoh General Hospital to see a 17-year old boy from Jalong New Village, Sungei Siput, Leong Choon Hwa, who was injured and hospitalised on 13.8.1977.
The boy was not attended to by a doctor until some three hours after he was brought to the hospital on 13.8.1977.
The parents were told on the second day on 14.8.77 that the boy had only a bone fracture and that there was nothing serious.
However, on 15.8.77, the mother of the boy was told that Leong Choon Hwa had to have his right hand amputated just below his elbow within 24 hours if his life is to be saved because of tetanus.
Two week later, the mother was told that a further amputation had to be done above the elbow.
This is most shocking. I call on the Ministry to cause an inquiry why such double amputations were necessary, and whether the boy could have a whole right hand saved if there had been quicker and more conscientious medical attention.
In this regard, I must express my shock at the rudeness and the discourtesy which the staff of the Ward 4, where the boy is warded, showed when Sdr Patto tried to make inquiries about the boy. I also saw with my own eyes the discourteous attitude shown by the staff to the ordinary people who went to call on the patients, who regard the visitors as virtually pests and parasites.
This is not the type of hospital and staff attitude which the people of Ipoh want. However poor a patient or visitor, he or she is entitled to courteous treatment for the staff and nurses are the servants of the people, and not the masters.
The hospital administration should look into this matter and change the rude and intolerable attitude of the staff of Ward 4 to the public.