Doctor’s shattered widow: I want justice
The wife of a respected obstetrician, who died amid an investigation into his clinical care, has pointed the finger at medical regulators – and shared the heartbreaking question their young son keeps asking.
SA News
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The wife of a respected obstetrician, who died amid an investigation into his clinical care, wants justice for her late husband.
Mei-Khing Loo has told The Advertiser her son has also been asking when his father Dr Yen-Yung Yap will “come back to play chess with him”.
The SA Coroner is investigating the father of three’s death after he was found dead on September 5 – on the eve of Father’s Day.
Medical regulators were investigating Dr Yap’s care of patients and in March banned him from performing vaginal births without supervision – and at his own expense – after an anonymous complaint about his repeated use of suctions to deliver two babies.
Ms Loo, who was practice manager of her husband’s Glandore clinic, said she suffered a stroke two months ago which she attributed to the stress and “trauma” of investigations into her husband by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
“In order that he did not die in vain I will be seeking justice for Dr Yap my dearly beloved husband so that others who are in similar circumstances like him do not have to die,” she said.
“I believe he took his life because of the stress of AHPRA doing its investigations.”
She said her husband had a “strong” personality and that his death was a “great shock” and “totally unexpected”.
Dr Yap was secretary of the Australian Health Reform Association, a group of medicos aggrieved with the AHPRA’s complaints process and which had criticised the sanctions against Dr Yap claiming the complaint against him was “vexatious”.
Ms Loo said AHRA would be spearheading a campaign for her husband. Posters have been placed around Adelaide with the words “AHPRA must take responsibility for the death of Dr Yung Yap”.
Ms Loo said her husband was humble, hardworking and had been “very cheerful” and loved his children.
“He loved his garden and sport, he was very much an outdoor person and taught me the Australian way of life, how to do a barbecue and taste wine,” she said.
“He was such a caring and lovely person.”
Ms Mei was today to view her husband’s body for the first time since his death.
Dr Yap, a gynaecologist and IVF specialist, was born in Malaysia and came to Australia in 1996 on a medical scholarship to study medicine at Adelaide University.
He and Ms Loo married 19 years ago and have two daughters Joyce, 14, Michelle, 11 and Edwin, 10.
Funeral services will be held for Dr Yap this Friday and Saturday. His parents and relatives in Malaysia will be unable to attend but a eulogy will be given by his school friends and colleagues.
AHPRA has previously expressed condolences for Dr Yap’s death and is assisting the coroner with inquiries.
Originally published as Doctor’s shattered widow: I want justice