A woman was allegedly turned away from a hospital in Perak, Malaysia, recently for wearing shorts.
Following a viral social media post about the incident, the hospital director claimed they did not issue such instructions to staff.
They have also reprimanded the staff member in question and reminded all employees to accept patients regardless of attire.
The incident first unfolded late Sunday (12 Feb) night, reports The Star.
According to China Press, a friend of the woman’s boyfriend told reporters that she was sitting on the sidelines watching the two men play badminton.
At one point, the woman felt a sudden, sharp pain in her stomach, so much so that she had difficulty walking.
Her companions then called ambulance services which conveyed her to Kampar Hospital.
Source: Google Maps
Unfortunately, upon reaching the hospital, a staff member at the triage counter allegedly pointed out that it was ‘improper’ for the woman to wear shorts.
The employee instructed the woman and a female companion to change into long pants before the former could be admitted, wrote the New Straits Times (NST).
Some reports claimed that the hospital worker then searched the premises for ‘proper attire’. When they came back out, the two women had disappeared.
Others like China Press, however, wrote that the women drove back to their dormitory to get a pair of trousers before returning to the hospital. This time, they allowed admittance.
When the woman seeking admission asked the staff why she could not wear shorts to the hospital, they allegedly replied that it was the hospital’s protocol.
The staff member subsequently became angry when the woman pressed them for more answers.
Following the incident, the women lodged a complaint against the staff member to the hospital’s management.
A few days later on 15 Feb, the hospital issued a statement addressing the incident.
According to The Star, hospital director Dr Khairul Azha Azam said that they have never turned away patients who do not comply with a ‘dress code’.
They have since reprimanded the employee in question. The hospital also made an announcement to inform staff not to discriminate against patients based on the way they dress.
In response to the incident, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa sent a strong message on Twitter. She emphasised that every patient deserves medical treatment regardless of race, nationality or dress code.
Dr Zaliha also reminded medical staff to uphold their principles, especially since they had taken an oath to help all patients to the best of their abilities.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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