What’s Cabinet’s decision on contract doctors, asks MP

 

The issue of contract doctors was discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

PETALING JAYA: The government must immediately reveal the Cabinet’s decision on the appeal by the 23,000 contract doctors to be appointed to permanent positions in the civil service, says Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii.

He noted that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and health minister Dr Adham Baba had both said the contract system would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday following the Malaysian Medical Association’s 12-day Code Black campaign to highlight the problems faced by the junior doctors.

However, no official statement has been made by the government up till today, he said.

“How can the minister demand that they be patient if they do not give any clarification on what was discussed and decided, to give a sense of direction for these contract healthcare workers?” he asked in a statement.

Yii said there cannot be any more excuses to further delay the matter without a substantive resolution.

He added that the Cabinet could make several policy decisions immediately, including allowing junior doctors to further their Master’s degree or specialisation, and giving them similar benefits as their permanent counterparts.

“Such policy decisions may not incur major financial commitments and could be good first steps to resolve this issue comprehensively.”

Junior doctors have called for amendments to be made to the contract system, due to the lack of job security and opportunities for career advancement.

The Malaysian Medical Association’s Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (Schomos) had organised the Code Black campaign, urging the public to stand in solidarity with contract doctors by changing their social media profile pictures to monochrome and to dress in black to work. - FMT