A nurse feeding a patient at Seberang Jaya hospital goes viral, sparking praise and renewed calls for better pay
WHILE doctors are often seen as the public face of the healthcare sector, nurses are frequently the unsung heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes.
A heartwarming Instagram post shared by @penangkini_ has gone viral after capturing a compassionate moment at Seberang Jaya Hospital.
The clip shows a Malay nurse gently feeding a middle-aged Indian patient, carefully removing bones from the meat before patiently hand-feeding him.
The post called for the nurse to be recognised with an award as a token of appreciation for her compassion towards patients.
“Thank you for demonstrating professionalism and carrying out your duties with full dedication and sincerity,” the caption read.
Netizens flooded the comments with praise, with many sharing positive experiences of medical staff at the hospital. Some described the doctors and nurses as kind-hearted and soft-spoken.
“They treat patients with so much attention and compassion, like family. They’re not squeamish about touching and caring for patients with their own hands,” one user commented.
She shared, “My mum often comes home and tells stories about her treatment. She talks about Dr Singh, the Chinese doctor and the Malay doctor — all of them are wonderful. They speak gently to her, treat her like a baby and are never rough. Even injections don’t hurt.”
Former junior doctor Dr Nuvair Mikhail, who previously worked at the hospital, also weighed in, confirming the dedication of the nursing staff. “They’re super nice to work with and take great care of their patients,” he said.
The viral post also reignited calls for better pay and working conditions for healthcare workers.
A user named Sharukh urged the government to consider salary increases for overworked medical personnel.
“They do so much work. There are too few staff and too many patients. Please raise the pay for staff in the appropriate grades and make it fair and deserving,” he wrote.
He added that the Health Ministry is well aware of how exhausting daily work in public hospitals has become, and if nationwide pay rises are not possible, urged the Penang state government to take the initiative for the state’s four public hospitals.
