Prison medic at Taiping uses body scanner for routine health examinations, reveals investigation
Dr. V Navin Esavik, a prison doctor, faced scrutiny during a public inquiry over his actions during a recent relocation exercise at a local prison. The inquiry, led by Suhakam chairman Hishamudin Yunus and commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki, is investigating allegations of assault during the relocation of inmates from Hall B to Block E of the prison.
Dr. Navin testified that he used a full-body scanner to examine an inmate, Gan Chin Eng, for suspected fractures and soft tissue injuries. However, this practice has come under question, with lawyer Shashi Devan, representing the family of the deceased inmate, accusing Dr. Navin of using the wrong equipment to examine the injuries.
Navin admitted that he lacked the certification and training required to operate the body scanner. Despite this, he stated that he had modified the scanner to detect small fractures, a common practice according to him. However, Shashi Devan argued that any inmate with suspected fractures should have been sent to the hospital for a conclusive reading on their injuries.
Navin defended his inaction, stating that he feared for his own safety. This assertion was met with criticism from S Kavitha, a Bar Council representative, who accused Dr. Navin of breaching the Hippocratic Oath's principle of doing no harm by failing to ensure inmate safety during the incident.
Shashi Devan also accused Navin of not intervening during the incident, a claim Navin dismissed, stating that he wouldn't injure himself to stop an incident. The examination was conducted after the Jan 17 relocation exercise involving over 100 inmates by some 60 prison wardens.
It has also been noted that Dr. V Navin Esavik is not publicly documented as an expert; there is no verifiable information confirming he received certification to operate body scanners for prisoner examinations. The public inquiry continues tomorrow.
