MCA reaches out to family of coma patient
THE family of a lorry driver who has been in coma since December last year will be receiving some timely aid soon.
Penang MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau deputy chief Lim Thoon Deong said an application was made to the MCA medical fund to purchase medical equipment for Mohammad Rozi Ismail, 36.
He slipped into coma last year after he was allegedly administered an injection for a stomach problem.
Lim, who is also the Penang Hospital Visitors Board chairman, said an oxygen concentrator, electric bed, mattress and reclining chair costing almost RM10,000 would be bought as soon as possible to enable Mohammad Rozi's wife, Azriatul Akma Taharim, 33, to care for her husband at their home in Permatang Damar Laut.
"She had to quit her job as a factory operator to care for him since he was discharged from the Penang Hospital on Feb 26.
"She has since been trained by the hospital staff to see to his daily needs.
"The hospital's physiotherapist will also be doing house calls," Lim said.
Azriatul said she took her husband to a private clinic in Bayan Baru, Penang, at about 9.45pm on Dec 8 after he complained of a stomachache.
She said a "young Pakistani doctor" on duty gave her husband an injection that caused his pupils to roll upwards and his mouth to froth.
She also claimed that she had to send her husband to the Penang Hospital on her own after the clinic doctor refused to help her call for an ambulance.
Azriatul said at the hospital, doctors tried to resuscitate her husband who had by that time slipped into coma.
She lodged a police report on Dec 12.
The couple have three children aged between four and 11, whom Azriatul said were still too young to understand what was happening to their father.
Lim said the Health Ministry had established a case against the clinic and doctor and its Legal Department was looking into getting compensation for the family.
"Being a full-time caregiver has been very stressful for Azriatul especially when her husband's breathing can sometimes stop suddenly.
"Sending him to a nursing home is of course the best option so that Azriatul can go back to work but that will cost the family thousands of ringgit a month," he said.
He was speaking at a press conference at the Penang MCA headquarters in Pahang Road yesterday.
Those who want to help the family can contact Lim at 016-4532086 or Azriatul at 017-4326456.
"To date, the public has donated a total of RM16,000 to help ease our burden and we are very grateful.
"Our monthly expenditure is more than RM2,000 and I do not know how long our savings can last if I don't start working again soon," Azriatul said, adding that the police were still investigating the case.
Lim urged the Health Ministry to conduct nationwide surprise checks on doctors to ensure that they were properly qualified to treat patients.
On a separate matter, he called on doctors to be more patient.
Commenting on a recent incident where a Penang Hospital doctor was rude to patient Cheah Hock Chew, 73, Lim said the former had been told to apologise to the senior citizen.
"Often there is a communication problem between doctors and patients especially those who cannot speak Bahasa Melayu.
"That's why I set up a patient satisfaction unit at the Penang Hospital in September last year," he added.
"The aim is to make sure the hospital is user-friendly to people like Cheah," he said.
Cheah, who was present, said the woman doctor had chided him for expecting the cataract operation at the hospital to be free.
"I was supposed to have the operation on Jan 8 but was turned away as I did not have money.
"The doctor asked me why I came to seek treatment when I did not have the cash," he added.
"She said, 'Do you think this is your father's hospital?' " he said.
After approaching the MCA for help, Cheah successfully underwent the operation on Feb 25 and was discharged on Wednesday.
"I appealed to the hospital to waive the RM74 fee.
"Meanwhile, Cheah's RM200 intraocular lenses were sponsored by the board," Lim said, adding that if done in a private hospital, the cost of admission and lenses would be close to RM3,000.
He said the bureau would try to help Cheah, who was single, get into an old folks home if needed.
-The Star-
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