Contract doctors must be given equal treatment

 

From Dr Timothy Chen

HDK has been taken to mean Hartal Doktor Kontrak, but here’s my take: Hak Doktor Kontrak.

The issue is simple yet complex. The underlying cause for the contract doctor issue is unequal rights. A simple cause yet seemingly “complex and slow” solution – giving rise to the past few months (and years?) of heartache and frustration for many.

What are these rights? They are:

• Rights to equal salary and benefits;
• Rights to postgraduate training;
• Rights to a secure and certain future;
• Rights to equal treatment by the administration and work colleagues among others.

If the issues are not solved, even increasing the number of permanent posts will not help. Imagine if half the contract doctors get permanent positions and the other half remain as contract doctors with the current unequal, unbalanced system. How does that benefit us?

To the current contract doctors, here’s a bit of advice: equip yourself. While we all have our methods of protesting and fighting for these rights, make sure you are not left behind in the journey of self-improvement and ultimately specialisation.

The government has stated clearly that postgraduate training will be available to all doctors. The details are still not clear and it is indeed very slow moving and messy – but unfortunately this is the chronic reality of government service and will need a major revamp to change.

Take the professional papers. Attend interviews. Read books. Prepare your CV so as to stand out among the rest.

“Exit KKM” if you wish to; but please return. The system may have failed you; but after completing training in other countries, do come back to change and revamp the status quo. Many who have left are more than capable of replacing the leaders that have failed you. Don’t give up on Malaysia. Please.

To the Malaysian government, here’s what I would like to say:

Kudos to new health minister Khairy Jamaluddin for being proactive in handling issues surrounding contract doctors and other healthcare system problems. We urge you to look urgently into this inequality and imbalance among doctors.

Being paid differently; having fewer benefits; living with uncertainty about postgraduate training and many other aspects of contract employment have resulted in this split between contract vs permanent medical officers. In some states there are even official name tags that bear the word “contract” after “pegawai perubatan siswazah (graduate medical officers)”.

We wish to see “hak sama rata (equal rights)” for all doctors, regardless of contract or permanent status. Let us solve this issue together for the betterment of the country we love and serve. - FMT

Dr Timothy Chen is a junior orthopaedic surgeon and an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.