WHEN a child dies due to abuse or neglect, the case will become headlines today, be debated tomorrow, and slowly disappear next week. But somewhere in between, we need to ask: Could the child have been saved?
Child abuse is not always loud. Sometimes it appears as a bruise that doesn’t match the story, a child who is too quiet or a baby who flinches at a familiar hand.
The Health Ministry Guide-lines for Hospital Management of Child Abuse emphasises one powerful rule: protect first, investigate later. This is why Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) teams exist in hospitals; a coordinated group of paediatricians, emergency doctors, social workers, police and Social Welfare Department officials working together to ensure the safety of the child.
If the perpetrator is someone close to the child, they are separated immediately – not to accuse but to protect.
This is everyone’s responsibility because not every injured child walks into a hospital.
Some go to school. Some sit quietly in religious classes. Some live next door.
Yet, too often we think: “What if I am wrong?” Maybe the better question is: “What if I stay silent and something happens?”
There are warning signs: malnourishment, repeated injuries, fear, poor hygiene or delayed medical attention.
Teachers may notice. Neigh-bours may hear. Healthcare workers may suspect.
But too often, suspicion is swallowed by uncertainty, fear of being wrong or the familiar attitude: “This is a family matter” or “We don’t want to be involved.”
Under the Child Act 2001 (Section 27), healthcare workers are legally required to report suspected abuse. But beyond the law, as neighbours, teachers or family members, we carry another duty – humanity.
What if reporting is not about accusing parents but about giving a child a chance to be safe? What if protecting children is not an act of interference but an act of compassion? Will we only speak after another child becomes a headline?
Child abuse is not a family issue; it is a community emergency. And if a child is hurt and we stay silent, we become part of the harm.
Not every child cries loud enough to be heard. But if we stay silent, we become part of the harm.
DR NAVEEN NAIR GANGADARAN
Seremban
