PUTRAJAYA: The doctor who took a ‘selfie’ while attending to a patient in labour at a Johor Baharu hospital recently, may have her service with the health ministry terminated.
Nevertheless, the minister, Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam said any impending action against the woman depended on the investigation by the ministry’s disciplinary committee, which among others might see her suspended or facing administrative action.
“What the doctor did was very serious and it is against the ethics of medical practioners,” he told reporters at the ministry here yesterday.
A photograph of the female doctor attending to the patient was circulated on social media recently.
In the photograph, the doctor, wearing a face mask even flashed a ‘peace’ sign to the camera.
“Imagine that, it is not easy for some to become (graduate as) a (medical) doctor because it takes years and is very costly but because of one photograph, her (the woman doctor’s) future appears bleak,” he noted.
Yesterday, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Karim said the patient’s family could take action against the doctor.
Warning medical practitioners to follow work ethics set by the ministry, Dr Subramaniam hoped the unfortunate incident would not recur.
In another development, he said the ministry would table amendments to the Dental Act 1971 in Parliament in October to create an area of expertise in the dental profession.
He said the dental expertise was aimed at strengthening health services in the country and tackle the misuse of the designation of dental experts. — Bernama