KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 ― The government has 26 days to bring a solution to the table on the fate of contract junior doctors, or face continued nationwide strike after July 26, members of the #HartalDoktorKontrak movement said today.
In a virtual press conference with the media members, one of its spokesman, Dr Mustapha Kamal A. Aziz said that they have had enough with the problems faced for years and have also readied a legal team should any of the movement's supporters be penalised.
Dr Mustapha, along with several other spokesmen, also assured the public of patients’ care, saying that they have already prepared a system to manage their patients during the planned strike.
“We are planning for one day, but we will see and probably discuss that and maybe wait for the government’s answer. If let’s say they don’t answer as soon as possible, then we shall continue until the demands are met,” he said.
Dr Mustapha said the strike is the last resort, adding that the group will continue engaging with government officials in the second stage of the campaign.
“We too want to give time for discussions. Negotiations are going on, but if they don’t reply, then I’m sorry. We have to do this because this is for the nation’s future healthcare,” he added.
The group had earlier submit a memorandum to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to highlight what some have described the system, as “modern-day slavery”.
“The problem with this contract system is they placed a plan, but there are no long term or short term plans.
“Until today, we have not heard as to what criteria they have set for entry into permanent positions. Therefore, we feel that five years is too long of a period for them to discuss about the future and direction for our healthcare system.
“This is the time for the government to truly discuss short term and long term plans for contract doctors,” Dr Mustapha said.
He said the one-day on July 26 strike by way of being absent from work, is a symbolic move, to show that junior doctors have had enough.
Dr Mustapha questioned the Malaysian Medical Association’s (MMA) ability to protect junior doctors like him in the last five years.
He said that while discussions have continued amid the political changes in the last three years, there has not been a satisfactory resolution in sight.
Dr Mustapha said that based on the statistics delivered by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, only 789 out of 23,077 contract junior doctors have gained permanent positions under the MOH since December 2016. He pointed out that this amounted to only three per cent.
The MMA’s Section for Housemen and Medical Officers (SCHOMOS) said it planned for a day of solidarity for contract doctors and reassured them that it is currently working with the authorities to resolve their issues.
Last Tuesday, MMA extended its call for the public to change their social media profile photos to black or monochrome, to join its “Code Black” campaign urging medical officers to wear black in support of the contract doctors.
But in a Facebook post, the MMA advised the junior doctors against participating in a work strike, warning of disastrous consequences during the Covid-19 pandemic should patient care be compromised.
Dr Mustapha later said that the group would try its best not to mobilise doctors who are on duty in Covid-19 treatment hospitals, unless proper arrangements can be made.
“Because the pandemic is a national emergency and we understand that, but most importantly, the end goal of the strike is to get what we want but at the same time, we do not want to jeopardise patients’ health. That is the last thing that we want to do,” he added.
In a statement, the group acknowledged that the hartal may have a dire effect but maintained their ground.
“We acknowledge this, however we feel our contract will be terminated either way if we do not do this,” the group said.
Since the pandemic began, contract doctors’ issues have become hotly debated within the medical profession.
It was reported that over 23,000 contract doctors in government service who graduated since December 2016 have not been automatically absorbed permanently like in the past.
The movement first gained considerable traction on Twitter through the hashtag #HartalDoktorKontrak.
A “contract doctor”, by definition, is a medical officer appointed through a tenure scheme implemented by the Public Service Commission that is managed by the Public Service Department (JPA) and the Health Ministry.
This system was introduced by the Najib administration in December 2016 after it was announced as part of Budget 2017.
The contractual appointment is given in two stages: three year for medical graduates’ housemanship completion in the first stage and an additional two years given to fully registered medical officers if not absorbed permanently.
No third extension is given.
For those who underwent their housemanship abroad, they are only offered a contractual appointment once for a period of two-years upon their return to Malaysia. Those who are not absorbed into the permanent scheme are considered terminated and must leave the public sector.
One of the key issues plaguing the contract system is the inability for affected medical graduates to qualify for specialist training through the Health Ministry’s sponsored “Masters programme” as it is exclusively for those with permanent postings.
Although there remains an alternative called the “parallel pathway” where trainees may opt for one of the programmes of the Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom or Ireland, many without government assistance are unable to shoulder the financial burden of accompanying tuition fees.
A medical graduate who is unable to choose either method as career advancement could find themselves unemployed once their contract ends, which may inadvertently lead to a shortage of potential medical doctor candidates in the public health sector.
This also caused uncertainty over their employment in the government service and future as healthcare professionals.
There also exists inequality as contract doctors do not receive similar welfare benefits such as “hazard leave” and wages enjoyed by their fellow peers with permanent status.
