PETALING JAYA: Healthcare groups want the Health Ministry to determine if burnout and fatigue were factors contributing to fatal “forgotten baby syndrome” incidents involving healthcare workers.
Over the past four months, there had been two deaths involving children of healthcare workers after the youngsters were accidentally left in the car.
“We urge the Health Ministry to look into whether tiredness from being overworked may have been a contributing factor. This is to prevent similar incidents.
“Fatigue can cause lapses in concentration, memory and judgement,” Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said when contacted yesterday.
There have been reports over the years of overworked and burnt-out doctors and hospital personnel due to a shortage of manpower and a high patient load.
On Tuesday, a five-year-old girl died after being accidentally left in a car by her mother at Hospital Shah Alam’s parking lot.
Initial police investigations revealed that the mother is a hospital staffer.
She is said to have unintentionally left her daughter there after picking her up from a daycare centre.
Last October, an eight-month-old girl died after being left in a car by her doctor mother for several hours at the parking lot of Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM in Kuala Lumpur.
There were two other fatal “forgotten baby syndrome” incidents involving non-medical personnel on Oct 24 and Nov 8 last year.
Hartal Doktor Kontrak spokesman Dr Muhammad Yassin, when contacted yesterday, said fatigue and being overworked are issues of concern.
Overworked personnel, he said, are “dangerous” staff members.
He cited the airline industry as an example, where overworked pilots are given time off.
“Why are overworked nurses and doctors forced to work?” he said.
However, Dr Muhammad said the issue should not only be looked at by the Health Ministry but all employment sectors, especially those with working mothers.
“Everyone, especially working mothers, should not be impacted by excessive work or working schedules that are harmful to their well-being,” he added.
The “forgotten baby syndrome” cases have led to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry making it compulsory for nursery operators to contact parents if their child is absent to prevent accidental deaths of children left in cars.
The Star has also highlighted the issue in the past, with road safety and medical experts providing tips on how to prevent such situations.
Children’s Commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, when contacted, spoke about the pressure faced by healthcare workers.
“The workload of junior doctors and housemen, especially those in the Health Ministry, is excessive.
“Employers need to be more sensitive and have policies at work to support young parents or parents with young children,” she said.
She also agreed with the practice of nurseries calling parents if their children are late to daycare centres.
A doctor, who did not want to be named, said the ministry should look into these incidents because it involves healthcare workers.
“While stress or overwork may be the cause, we cannot say this for certain.
“However, it is still very concerning.
“We need the hospitals and clinics to look at the well-being of their employees,” he said.
He said the blame should not be placed on parents, specifically mothers, as such incidents could happen to anyone.
