The Health Minister has condemned the "completely unacceptable" behaviour of parents who have refused to let doctors of Asian appearance treat their children due to fears about coronavirus.

Royal Children's Hospital management has received several complaints from staff who have been discriminated against on the basis of their ethnic appearance. There have also been reports of parents refusing to sit near other parents.

Asian doctors at the Royal Children's Hospital are reportedly being shunned. Credit:Pat Scala

Stuart Lewena, director of emergency services at the hospital, said one female doctor had been approached by the parents of a child she was treating who requested she be replaced by a Caucasian physician.

"[The parents had] concerns she might have her own virus … And that was clearly a comment made purely on her racial appearance," Dr Lewena said.