Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) is investigating complaints from patient caregivers of movement restrictions, including the inability to rotate among carers in the ward.

A statement from the hospital today said management is reaching out to complainants for a clear explanation to assist with the investigation.

The statement said the hospital will abide by policies set by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

“SGH’s management wishes to inform the public that the MoH policy and regulations involving caregivers and visitors to SGH during this transition period to Covid-19 endemic phase will continue to be enforced,” said the statement.

There have been calls for the MoH policy on hospital visitors and caregivers at Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patient wards to be reviewed.

The complaints have gone viral on social media.

On May 20, the Sarawak Health Department said it has set up a special audit team to ensure the implementation of policies in regard to hospital visitors and patient caregivers are uniform throughout the state.

State Health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck said the department had taken several measures and held briefings on May 18 for the management of public hospitals in the state on the matter.

He said these actions are to ensure miscommunication and confusion on the policy of caregivers on rotation will not happen again.

He said the department would ensure the MoH policy and rules for hospital visitors and caregivers that came into force on April 23 for the Covid-19 endemic phase transition are fully complied with.

He added all caregivers and visitors that fulfil the criteria in the policy will be permitted to visit and care for patients.

Dr Ooi said investigations had found that security guards on duty did not properly explain the hospital’s policy and the security company had been reprimanded to ensure that such confusion did not recur.

He added the company involved had also been asked to immediately improvement their service.

On May 15, a Twitter user claimed she was not allowed to change shifts at SGH with anyone for at least three nights when caring for her 72-year-old father, who was admitted on May 10.

She also claimed that the hospital’s security personnel had harassed her family members, including her mother.

Similarly, another Twitter user claimed she was not allowed to take turns with her husband to care for their three-year-old child in Sibu Hospital.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by CHURCHILL EDWARD

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