A downtown hospital today quickly killed one department’s mystifying policy requiring female employees take birth control or lose their jobs should they get pregnant.
After word got out about Rajvithi Hospital pharmacy’s new policy, which went into effect last month on Oct. 30, the hospital’s director said today at a news conference the rule would be immediately rescinded despite its “good intention.”
“The method may seem like a violation of rights, but I understand the supervisor had a good intention but just didn’t know what to do,” Director Udom Chaowarin said. “I already told them this policy may not be implemented. I canceled it. Whoever wants to get pregnant, they can. We cannot prohibit them from having a family.”
Udom neither apologized for the matter nor mentioned any disciplinary action at the hospital located near Victory Monument in the Ratchathewi district.
The controversy erupted recently when a photograph made its way online showing a sign announcing the new rule inside the pharmacy.
“Announcement: From Oct. 30 – Dec. 31, 2014, female staff must take birth control (Do not get pregnant). If you do, please resign.”
About 30 names were signed to the bottom as evidence of staff acknowledging the announcement.
Udom said the policy did not come from the central administration.
“The policy may have come from the department’s supervisor who is stressed about how many employees in the department are pregnant,” he said. “So there was a request in a meeting inside the department that staff should practice contraception.”
Udom added even though it seems like a total violation of human rights, it was okay because that superviser, whose identity was withheld, probably just wanted what was best for the organization, Manager reported.
How super sporting of him to consider human rights
