Strip Bare for Medical Checkup

My dear friends ,

Please give me some advise. Have I overstepped my line. Am I right or wrong?

For months I have this huge burden on my mind and today I could no longer bear it. My office has one panel clinic and new staff are sent there for medical checkup before they are confirmed. The clinic usually ask the staff to strip naked saying that it is a procedure. Most of them are not comfortable with it but many didn't know their right as individual to refuse. Many thought that if they don't strip, they may fail the chekup and may not get the job. Sounds naive but it is true. Embarrasing situation, no one talk about it.

Why am I so nosy? Because I know since I was asked the same but I walked out. Imagine if the new staff are your daugther/niece/best friends or someone close, I don't want this to happen to them, same way I don't want this to happen to anyone unless they don't mind. For 7 years since 2001, I alerted my boss on this issue 3 times and nothing. But luckily office did not employ many new staff until 2007 and now. 2007 till now many new staff emplyed and many underwent the same, some are lucky the doctor didn't asked them to strip.

Last week an assistant was employed for me. I warned him about the med checkup. But I didn't warned others who are not working on my floor. because, it is embarrassing even for me to talk about it. My assistant was sent to the same clinic and that hit the ceiling for me. First thing today I walked to my boss and informed that I'm writing a complaint to the Malaysian Medical councill to logde a formal complain and I would have to say the name of the office I'm working and the clinic's name else, my letter would not be considered authentic.
Just now, my boss got angry and he called for a meeting with the latest staff member and myself to sit in. Nobody dare open their mouth to support my move except for one fresh graduate girl. Others including my muslim boss say they don't mind. From the disgust look from my boss and his management staff, I know my job is at stake. I'm doing this for Allah because I'm trying to protect my fellow muslim and non muslim even if they don't know it.
I'm shivering as I type this because I'm still shocked, sad and scared since came back from the meeting. I wonder if the new staff think I'm a nut case.

Regards and
Umi Salmah

Come one, i need advise please.

hrm i dunno what to say i dont know if the standard medical chek up in australia is the same there... i am a childcare worker and had to get a medical check up before i started working and i didnt have to strip naked... maybe you should try and find out if this is the correct procedure... but it doesnt sound right to me and dont worry you are doing the right thing, for the right reasons...im probably not much help sorry...

:wasalamex


May Allah reward you and have mercy on you because of your patience and wanting to enjoin good and forbid the evil sister, ameen.


I want to quote you a verse from the Qur'an (translation of the meaning):


You've tried to forbid this out of fear of Allah, and for those who fear Allah and do good for His sake - then He will support them.

It may be that Allah will provide you by allowing you to continue in this job after this confusion with your boss - you did inform them but they didn't listen - so Allah may aid you so that you can continue back to normal insha Allah, or He may provide you through new means so you aren't dependant upon them.



We will keep you in our prayers insha Allah, remember that Allah is remembering you, if you are remembering Him.There's two duas' here from the Sunnah;

http://makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=34


Try to pray them insha Allah.. Allah will support you, the same way you supported His religion. We ask Allah to help you. ameen.

I'm not sure I understand the situation, but if I understand correctly, your work place is making people strip without telling them that they have the right to refuse. Is that so?

In that case, then I support you! Although keep in mind I don't know the details of your situation so my opinion doesn't really count for much.

i admire you for standing up for what you believe in. i don't think people should be forced to strip naked! i'm sure many others have found this demeaning but didn't have the courage to speak out about it, so they too may benefit. i hope if there is a fight over this, that you win.
best of luck to you.

Jazakallah for your advice and support.
I was so nervous and angry just now, which may cause my writing to be incoherent.
The problem is the doctors at this panel clinic asked patient who goes there for medical checkup to strip as a their procedure. My office did not ask for this specific procedure. I've informed my boss that the particular clinic practice that way, therefore if we cannot change the doctors' procedure, at least stop putting our new staff thru this by not sending to this clinic.

Imagine a young college grad eager to start a job or a timid school leaver starting a clerical job, when given the letter of offer and asked to go to this clinic for medical checkup. Then at the clinic the doctor told him/her "Please remove all clothing, I have to do full examination on you". The person would think silently, "Oh no do I have to?". Then if he/she have courage will ask "Is this necessary?". I'm in Malaysia and many Asian generally and Malay especially are shy and not outspoken. Many of our new staff told me they thought, " Oh no if I don't follow doctor's instruction, I'll fail this checkup and office will say sorry we don't have position for you." Thus, they had to endure the embarrassment.
I don't have a child yet but I love my nieces and nephews and my friends' kids. I don't want them to go thru what my colleagues went through.

I sought help from my boss because he is a muslim whom I thought should be more sensitive to issues of modesty, culture and religion but turn out in the meeting he made look like a troublemaker. Me and my big mouth and impatience.

Thank you for your suport.

:salamext:

Astaghfirullah hala'zim.............. this happened in M'sia :uuh:

never been in my life i've to go through that...

you know what? you can complaint to the medical muslim in malaysia...something association or something. You should complaint to a local body.

Someone should know about this....

come to the bincang.net and post it in bincang semasa... i'm sure someone can give you a very good advise.

wassallam

:salamext:

Astaghfirullah... in M'sia ? :uuh:

YOu should complain it to a local body... try here... http://www.ppim.org.my/index.php

if not...you can go to the bincang.net and let everyone knows...and InshaAllah someone can give you a good advise.

There is no reason for a medical examination to strip someone naked.
Lying on a exam couch , covered by a gown and having your dignity preserved is pretty basic practice.

Even during my medical for the army I diddnt have to take off my skivvys. It's just wrong. Sure Docs have to examine people, but standing starkers in front of them is a bit 1950's military.

ashley66 said:

Jazakallah for your advice and support.
I was so nervous and angry just now, which may cause my writing to be incoherent.
The problem is the doctors at this panel clinic asked patient who goes there for medical checkup to strip as a their procedure. My office did not ask for this specific procedure. I've informed my boss that the particular clinic practice that way, therefore if we cannot change the doctors' procedure, at least stop putting our new staff thru this by not sending to this clinic.

Imagine a young college grad eager to start a job or a timid school leaver starting a clerical job, when given the letter of offer and asked to go to this clinic for medical checkup. Then at the clinic the doctor told him/her "Please remove all clothing, I have to do full examination on you". The person would think silently, "Oh no do I have to?". Then if he/she have courage will ask "Is this necessary?". I'm in Malaysia and many Asian generally and Malay especially are shy and not outspoken. Many of our new staff told me they thought, " Oh no if I don't follow doctor's instruction, I'll fail this checkup and office will say sorry we don't have position for you." Thus, they had to endure the embarrassment.
I don't have a child yet but I love my nieces and nephews and my friends' kids. I don't want them to go thru what my colleagues went through.

I sought help from my boss because he is a muslim whom I thought should be more sensitive to issues of modesty, culture and religion but turn out in the meeting he made look like a troublemaker. Me and my big mouth and impatience.

Thank you for your suport.

Click to expand...

sometimes it takes a person with a "big mouth" to change something that is wrong. i too, am surprised that this is happening in malaysia! even here, where people, as you know are not all that modest, a little gown is provided and doctor never sees you stripped naked!
syilla has given you good advice - i hope you get the backing you need. your courage may save many from having to go through this.

Thank you Syilla for the link. I've written and printed the letter to Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) which is body under the ministruy of health Malaysia but thought I should pray istikharah b4 posting it and copy it to Malaysia Medical association (MMA). May be I should copy it to ppim also.

Thank you snakeleg for your support. I'm gonna follow syilla's advice and contact the PPIM ie Muslim Doctors Association Malaysia. Its not just the malay and muslim who went trhu this but also some of the Indian and Iranian collegues also, but the backing from the association would be helpful.