Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz has agreed to expedite solutions for the plight of contract medical officers, after some doctors began calling for a strike beginning July 1.
The Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers, and Specialists (Schomos) said the minister had agreed to do so following a meeting with them today.
“We discussed the various issues faced by house officers, medical officers and specialists which are yet to be sorted despite years of discussing it.
“YB has agreed to expedite the matter and look into the current working papers,” Schomos said in its official Facebook account today.
It said the meeting was organised following MMA’s open letter to all MPs on June 23, which highlighted the lack of job security and opportunities for career progression faced by junior contract doctors.
It said there has been a severe lack of human resource in the public healthcare system for years, as shown by the high levels of burnout syndrome among healthcare workers, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is exacerbated by the lack of job security and opportunities for career progression for junior contract doctors.
As for the growing calls for a strike, Schomos said it and the MMA do not condone this due to the pandemic.
Instead, it said it is planning a day of solidarity for junior doctors, and to organise a town hall session for grievances to be heard.
“The government must realise that the failure of the contract system has led to these drastic actions by the contract officers.
“There is no clear or transparent criteria nor proper evaluation for selection to permanent posts, and no postgraduate pathway for contract doctors.
“With their contracts ending in as little as six months, these doctors have little to lose by carrying out this strike,” it said. - Mkini
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