Primary healthcare clinics must help domestic violence survivors

A study reveals that survivors are more willing to disclose domestic violence if healthcare providers initiate the conversation. Photo: Pixabay

In light of the rise in domestic violence cases during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) has released a brief entitled ‘Strengthening the Primary Healthcare Response to Domestic Violence’.

The brief, which is based on World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, presents four recommendations on how to strengthen the response of primary healthcare clinics such as Klinik Kesihatan to domestic violence cases. This will, they say, help alleviate existing healthcare resources such as hospitals and emergency rooms, that are being stretched to their limits treating Covid-19 patients during the pandemic.