Kota Kinabalu: Child abuse victims in Sabah can only be treated at government hospitals because the law does not recognise private hospitals as authorised to handle such cases, said Sabah Social Welfare Department Children’s Division Officer Ponniya Irham.
“The law has stated that only government hospitals are recognised to handle preservation and protection cases involving children,” she said at the inaugural Child Safeguarding Conference at the Sabah International Convention Centre, here.
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“This legal gap often creates confusion and distress for families and frontline workers alike,” she added.
She said the requirement means any child abuse case brought to a private hospital or clinic will simply be redirected to government hospitals.
“We see people in that situation feel burdened. They say, I have already brought the child to a hospital or clinic, why do I need to be sent to a government hospital again,” she said.
Ponniya said this creates a pushing back and forth of responsibility that adds unnecessary strain during already difficult circumstances.
She said the rule applies strictly regardless of which hospital or clinic first receives the child.
On another note, she said the Department needs more funding support from the State Government to expand child protection advocacy programmes as case numbers rise every year.
She said the Department runs two community-based groups formed under the Child Act 2001, the Child Welfare Team and the Child Protection Team, to help identify at risk children with the help of the public.
“We want to empower the community to help the Department act as our eyes and ears,” she said, adding however that financial constraints limit how often the Department can run advocacy and awareness programmes in schools.
“When we want to hold a programme in schools we try to make it zero cost, but where can we still find zero cost programmes now,” she said.
She said the child protection service falls under Federal jurisdiction, resulting in limited support from the State Government for awareness programmes on protection and advocacy for children and parents.
She said the Department currently focuses its advocacy efforts on schools in Sabah, as it is easier to gather a crowd during assemblies or co-curricular days.
She said schools often ask about budget before agreeing to host a programme, including whether food will be provided for students.
“We need help from the government, from lawmakers, to provide a little budget for children’s programmes, because case numbers increase every year,” she said.
For the record, the Child Safeguarding Conference is jointly organised by the Child Safeguarding Initiative, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia and the Sabah Council of Social Services.
