Authorities urged to boost staff identification systems to prevent similar incidents in future
A teenager has been apprehended in Malaysia for posing as an employee of Hospital Sultan Idris Shah (HSIS) in Serdang, according to reports.
Malaysia's Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, The New Straits Times (NST) reported.
"On Aug 7, the management of HSIS received a report regarding the suspicious behaviour of an individual who was found masquerading as a hospital staff member," MOH said. "They immediately acted on the report and identified the individual, before an official police report was lodged."
According to the MoH, the teenager used a fake identification card to impersonate an employee. She was later apprehended on August 8.
Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof, Sepang police chief assistant commissioner, said the female suspect was posing as a staff member at the hospital "for about a week."
According to the assistant commissioner, the teenager managed to get into an operating theatre and even tried to offer assistance with a surgery there.
"At around 8.30am on Thursday, hospital representatives realised that the same girl had attempted to register at the counter using a fake identity," Wan Kamarul said as quoted by the NST.
She was remanded for two days, according to the NST. She has also been referred to the Sepang Welfare Department due to her age.
Azizan Abdul Aziz, president of the Malaysian Medical Association, said the case was not only a breach in security, but potentially put the health and lives of patients at risk.
To ensure that no similar incidents happen in the future, the association encouraged authorities to boost their security system, especially on staff identification.
"Patient safety and privacy must remain the highest priority at all times," she said as quoted by the NST.
