What is happening here? After this report http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/12/nation/11090364&sec=nation appeared in the newspaper today, I received few emails and even friends asking me about this incident. I have always said that doctor’s life is stressful but before jumping into any conclusion, just review the article below critically. Did the police say that it is a suicide?
I was made to understand that bullying is rampant in this hospital. Something that I do not tolerate but our civil service is rotting anyway. Most of the HODs nowadays are good for nothing. Sorry to say this but it is the reality on the ground. How many of them do teaching rounds, grand rounds, supervise housemen and Master’s students? I am sure most of you will know that the universities do pay a fee to the HODs for every Master’s student that is posted to his department. It use to be RM 1000-2000/month! Do you also know that every medical school attached to the hospital have to pay RM 600-1000/month to the HODs? All these money suppose to be used to facilitate the teaching of Master’s student and medical students. BUT I am sure you know what happens on the ground.
Now, coming back to the story below. The police said that it is an overdose and never said that it is a suicide! I have seen doctors who were pethidine addicts before who stole pethidines from OT. Furthermore, he was found in the hospital’s toilet and not at home or in his room. If at all he wants to commit suicide, I am sure he will do it at home or in his room. If it is true that he worked 5 days in a row then the HOD should be taken to task!! No one can work 5 days in a row. Even in those days when I was a housemen, the longest I have worked is 56 hours ( 2 consecutive calls) but it was a passive call. Generally, we work 32-36 hours the longest. Could the system have made him to become an addict to stay awake and energize himself?
I am also surprised to see that this doctor graduated from Uruguay? There is no university from Uruguay recognised in Malaysia. So, if it is true then he must have sat and pass the MQE exams, thus explaining his age of 29.
I am not sure what exactly happened to this guy. We need more info before we can conclude that it is due to work stress. Whatever it is, I hope MOH will conduct a detailed investigation into this matter. I also hope that the housemen in this hospital will contact the state SCHOMOS rep or MOH if indeed it is true that bullying is rampant in this hospital to the extent that extension etc has become a norm!
Trainee doctor found dead after suspected overdose
By M. KUMAR kumar@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: A trainee doctor was found dead in a restroom at Kajang Hospital.
Police believe he had overdosed on an unidentified drug.
Lee Chang Tat, 29, was found dead in the men’s room of the paediatric ward at 7am yesterday by hospital staff who went looking for him after they noticed that he was missing.
He was found with a used syringe beside him, which police believe he had used to inject himself with a drug to fight off fatigue.
It is learnt that Lee, who had been working at the hospital for the past three years, had been working on call for five consecutive days.
Selangor health director Datuk Dr Azman Abu Bakar said hospital staff, who found Lee, tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful.
“He was rushed to the emergency room but it was too late,” he said.
Lee, he stressed, had no previous medical problems.
A security guard at the hospital said they found him when someone tried calling Lee on his handphone and heard the ringing tone coming from the restroom.
“We broke into the toilet cubicle and found him lying there with the needle,” he said.
Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab said Lee, who studied medicine in Uruguay, had been complaining to his family about the hectic working hours.
“His family said he had also been planning to go on a holiday to Cambodia soon with friends,” he said.
ACP Abdul Rashid confirmed that an initial post-mortem indicated that Lee had died of an overdose, adding that the case was being investigated as sudden death.
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Dear Dr,
What happen to all the earlier comments in this link?
you went to the wrong link
this is the link https://pagalavan.com/2012/04/12/star-trainee-doctor-found-dead-after-suspected-overdose/
Yes I pity the interns and doctors in gh who has to work in the day time and be on calls at night.
How can they have enough rest and still be alert to diagnose patients and prescribe the right medications. Once I heard a doctor life in gh is like a dogs life.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO HELP THESE YOUNG DOCTORS .
Interns have been working on shift duty for many years already. Registrars do work morning and continue to night but most will get the next day PM off. One thing we must acknowledge is the fact that doctors life is tough, no matter where you work.