Fake medical chits discovered in Malaysia

The New Straits Times has reported that a government hospital in Malaysia is on full alert after the discovery of fake medical chits, bearing its stamp, being issued to patients.

An internal probe was prompted following complaints surfacing about patients getting long rest days based on chits issued by Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II.  

Dr Selasawati Ghazali, director at Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II commented: “Employers have complained to us about long rest days approved for their workers, including those from outside the state.”

She also said said that employers had sought clarifications over the long rest days approved to their workers “who did not appear to be too unhealthy”.

This led to the discovery of medical chits from the hospital being issue;  but not signed by those in authority.

Dr Selasawati said: “Our investigations have led us to believe that some of the chits were tampered with. For instance, the approved rest days were two or three days but that would be changed to eight or 10 days.”

“We also founds chits with fake signatures and those with different features, such as serial numbers,” she added.

She also said the hospital would deal with the matter internally  as it could be the work of its staff.

According to the report, the fraud appeared to have started last year. However, no report was lodged with the authorities, but the hospital had formed a task force led by a senior officer to deal with the issue.

With the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) monitoring the situation, its director Datuk Moh Shamsuddin Yusoff commented: “We will put in place preventive measures and act against those responsible.”

“We did not receive any official report, but have reminded the hospital to take preventive measures,” he concluded.

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