It was troubling to note that the forearm of an infant had undergone auto-amputation at the Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang.

The call by Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek that specialists on call should not give instructions to medical and house officers over the telephone is a timely one. To put a houseman solely in charge of the NICU ward without constant supervision of a senior medical officer, specialist or consultant is to me unfair to the innocent infants warded and their parents who are ignorant to the fact that their baby is under the care of a trainee doctor who is bound to make errors.

It has been some time now that specialists and consultants are not physically present in government hospitals and just give advice and consult over the phone. However, at the end of the month, call claims are religiously submitted without a query from the hospital director.

In newly-built hospitals equipped with computers, it's even worse. Specialists stay home and cases are discussed online. Even X-ray pictures of the chest and fractured bones from the Emergency and ICU wards are transmitted through the Internet for the viewing pleasure of these specialists from the comfort of their home.

How can you be fair in treatment when you do not examine clinically? And when a mistake is made everyone is quick to point fingers at the poor medical or house officer.

The medical officer or houseman on call at the hospital is in a dilemma because his or her boss wants him or her to present the case and findings with X-rays online. Besides the numerous cases which have to be seen while they are on call not to mention the numerous wards that will be calling them to attend to patients, the medical officer or houseman's boss has be pleased because finally, their assessment and application for a Masters programme is at the mercy of their boss. So who is compromised? The patient obviously.

The Health Ministry should make it compulsory for all specialists and consultants on-call, who want to claim for on-call allowances, to be present in the hospital. No claims should be entertained if they misuse the privileges given to them and bully their medical officers and housemen.