This letter was originally published in The Straits Times on 24 April 2020.

In the light of the court finding that a woman was justified in her claims that Dr Julian Ong and Dr Chan Herng Nieng were taking sexual advantage of their patients, the Association of Women for Action and Research welcomes the suspension of Dr Ong from practising at Parkway hospitals.

However, we are appalled that he was not suspended from practising entirely by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), at least until it has ruled on the case. Dr Ong is currently able to continue his private practice.

It is not known if Dr Chan has had to deal with any repercussions.

The messages exchanged by the doctors – including a naked photo of a woman – are not only deeply misogynistic, but also a betrayal of what their professions stand for and their oath to do no harm.

The SMC’s complaints committee has already had 22 months to decide if the complaint filed by the woman against Dr Chan – in which Dr Ong is named – merits a disciplinary hearing, but it has not made a ruling.

If not for the defamation suit filed by Dr Ong against the complainant, this matter may not have come to light.

From the SMC’s statement on Wednesday, it seems that the council only secured “signed undertakings from both Dr Chan and Dr Ong to refrain from contacting female patients for purposes outside the scope of their medical practice, pending the completion of the disciplinary process against them” after it learnt of the defamation suit (SMC asks two doctors not to contact female patients outside of work, April 23).

Dr Ong has lost the suit, while the SMC, in dragging its feet, is showing disregard of patients’ right to safe medical examination.

Interactions with doctors feature an inherent power imbalance. Patients are typically vulnerable, because they are required to share personal information about their bodies; and it is the doctors who typically decide the level of intimacy and/or physical contact during diagnosis or treatment.

When a doctor betrays a patient’s trust, he should be held accountable. We can all do more to protect the vulnerable from abuse, but the SMC has an especially important role to play. Its ethical code and ethical guidelines clearly state that it is critical for healthcare professionals to maintain propriety and observe appropriate boundaries in their relationships with patients.

By not acting assertively, the SMC strikes a discordant note when the Government and the public have declared zero tolerance for harassment and abuse.

Shailey Hingorani

Head of Research and Advocacy

Association of Women for Action and Research