Organisers of a strike by contract medical officers (MOs) today reassured that their plans to stop work for a day will not jeopardise delivery of healthcare services, as they have the support of their senior and junior colleagues who can cover for them.
Group spokesperson Dr Mustapha Kamal A Aziz said the nationwide strike on July 26 will be a last resort if all attempts to negotiate with the government on their demands fail.
"We have already said we will be together with our head of departments, hospital directors, to give them a message that these are our plans.
"But that depends on the response from the government. The strike is actually our last resort," Mustapha said at a virtual press conference today.
"That's why we are giving the government three weeks.
"But if they don't reply, then I am sorry we have to do this, it's for the good of the nation's healthcare," he said.
Mustapha said the group will not back down from its demands submitted to the government in a memorandum today, including for more than 20,000 contract doctors recruited since 2016 to be given a permanent placement.
He also warned that government hospitals risk facing a shortage of specialists as only a small number of contract MOs are hired and offered scholarships to further their studies at the end of their five-year contract.
At present, any contract MOs who end their five-year tenure as general practitioners would have to find their own funds to further their studies in specialist fields.
Meanwhile, Dr Fauzi Rahim, another member of the organising committee, similarly expressed confidence that contract MOs who wished to strike could negotiate with their other colleagues on duty at their healthcare facility.
"In hospitals, there are specialists, consultants, permanent and contract MOs, and also house officers as junior doctors.
"There are a lot of us. What we are doing, we can plan it with them and arrange our timetables so they can cover us," said Fauzi.
"Even now we can see many specialists and consultants are on our side.
"They accept our plans and said 'go for the strike, we can cover for you guys'," he said.
He said the strike, if it took place, would not severely impact hospital operations, particularly during the current pandemic, but the absence of contract MOs would be felt by their permanent counterparts and senior colleagues on duty.
'Not to jeopardise Covid-19 hospitals'
Mustapha further reassured that organisers will try their best to not mobilise doctors from hospitals with a large number of Covid-19 patients.
Asked on risks of possible disciplinary action against contract doctors supporting the strike, Mustapha said organisers had prepared a legal team should any of their supporters be penalised.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba recently called for patience among the frustrated contract MOs, promising that their demands would be raised to the cabinet at its next meeting.
Mustapha, however, said it has been five years since the first intake of contract MOs - first announced by then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak under Budget 2017 - and there has been no short- or long-term blueprint for their future within the public health sector.
"If you had a problem unresolved for five years, how would you feel?"
He added there had also been no clear criteria for contract MOs to earn a permanent placement, at the rate of only 789 of 23,077 recruits since 2016.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) distanced itself from the planned strike but Mustapha said organisers and their supporters will continue to back the online "Code Black" solidarity campaign launched today until July 12.
"Whatever is good for us, we will support," he added.
Among prominent doctors who have voiced support for the campaign since earlier today include consultant paediatrician Dr Musa Mohd Nordin and Hospital Putrajaya consultant nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah. - Mkini
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