Man Claims To Be Held Against His Will In Penang Hospital ICU After Refusing Covid Treatment

By Quinny Tan  •  14 Sep 2021 in News

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An audio recording has been circulating social media regarding a Covid-19 patient who claimed to have been “abducted” and “forced” to be placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by the staff at Penang Hospital.

In the audio recording, the patient, Affendy Mohd Yusof, claimed he was healthy but was forced to use a ventilator by the medical officers at the hospital.

However, the state Health Department said Affendy was placed in the ICU after he was confirmed to be a Category 4 Covid-19 patient and tests had found his blood oxygen was at a very concerning level.

“As such, oxygen therapy treatment was started. However, further tests found the patient’s condition was getting more critical, to the point that his blood oxygen level can only be stabilised by using a ventilator.” said Penang Health Department director Dr Ma’arof Sudin.

“The ICU medical officers had informed the patient and his family about his critical condition. The hospital had also explained multiple times to the patient and his family about the risk to his body and life if he did not allow the hospital to provide him with the treatment.

“However, the patient still did not agree with the recommended treatment and requested to leave, upon his own risk.”

Despite the patient’s refusal to accept the oxygen therapy treatment and the ventilator, Ma’arof said Affendy was still placed in the ICU to be monitored as his condition was critical.

There was also the risk of spreading Covid-19 if the patient was allowed to leave, he added.

Ma’arof said patients in ICU are given liquid food, such as milk, to facilitate the digestive process and to avoid complications.

The Penang Health Department has since refuted the claims and also denied allegations that patients are not given food while in the ICU.

Affendy, who has been treated at the hospital since last week, also claimed he had only come to the hospital to get screened for Covid-19 before being taken in for treatment in the Covid-19 ward.

The patient had also claimed that a friend of his encountered a similar situation after going to the Penang Hospital to get tested for Covid-19.

A YouTube video has since resurfaced, recording the call between Affendy and a representative from Team GPMC, Kabul Idris, further describing the situation.