2009/05/08
By : ROKIAH ABDULLAH, Kuala Lumpur

I WISH to know whether doctors working in government hospitals are allowed to tell patients to buy equipment and other things from sales people.

As far as I am aware, this is not allowed.

And that was why I was surprised when my cousin in Johor Baru told me that he was told by a doctor there to buy expensive equipment for his child when he took the child for a medical check-up.

This happened at Klinik Rehabilitasi Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Baru.

The specialist had a salesman in her clinic who showed some wheelchairs and other equipment to my cousin.

My cousin's son is disabled and is only now learning to walk.

My cousin has yet to decide whether to buy any equipment because he wants to see if his son can walk by himself, without using any equipment.

This doctor kept on insisting that my cousin buy this and that equipment from this salesman, otherwise his son would suffer and not progress at all.

I wonder if the doctor is getting some commission from this salesman for helping him to sell things.

Does the hospital or the Health Ministry allow doctors to cajole their patients into buying things from sales people?

Why was the salesman allowed inside the clinic with his equipment?

My cousin was upset because he was made to feel that he was not taking good care of his son.

This doctor was also arrogant.

Now, my cousin has decided to take his son to Kuala Lumpur for follow-up treatment at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

I hope the hospital authorities in Johor Baru will investigate and ensure that something is done so that patients are not forced to buy equipment in this way.

Such actions should not happen again.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Letters/2551012/Article/index_html