Cases of violence against Health Ministry workers increasing

PUTRAJAYA - The statistics of violence cases reported against Health Ministry workers showed an increase over the past six years.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said a total of 167 violence cases were reported in 2017 as soon as the Managing and Preventing Acts of Violence Against Health Ministry's Workers Guideline was launched.

"After it was introduced, 442 violence cases were reported in 2018 and the number had increased to 494 cases the next year," he said in a statement today.

However, the number decreased slightly to 321 cases while the country was facing the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and recorded a total of 260 cases in the following year.

He said any form of violence at workplace, whether physical, verbal, sexual or written violence were identified as one of the main challenge that could interfere with the workers' productivity.

"These violence has a negative impact on the workers' sense of security and psychological and physical health thus further affecting their work performance.

"In addition, it had also affected the quality of medical care and cause losses in the health sector's expenditure," he said.

He said the guideline introduced in conjunction with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023 celebration at the national level was crucial to create a safe, prosperous and productive work environment.

"Through these latest guideline, we hope the agression towards the ministry's personnel can be dealt with more effectively and to ensure the safety and well-being of the workplace can be maintained," he said.

He added that the move was also to show the commitment of the Health Ministry's top management in taking care of the workers' welfare.

"Simultaneously, a high quality and better service can be provided to patients if these cases are stopped," he said.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023 celebration was held at the Malaysian National Cancer Institute.

The celebration is an annual programme suggested by the International Labor Organisation (ILO) and celebrated on April 28 every year worldwide.

The theme for World Day for Safety and Health this year is "a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work".