KUALA LUMPUR – It appears even being the main frontliners in the battle against Covid-19 does not make one indispensable.
So, what happens to public sector doctors employed on contract once the war against the pandemic is won?
Some of these doctors who spoke to The Vibes recently said they fear losing their jobs once the battle against the virus is over.
They also said they are in the dark about their long-term career prospects with the government.
One government doctor, who declined to be named, said although contract renewals have been a long-standing issue, the matter has become more pronounced since the beginning of the pandemic, especially when it comes to those who were trained abroad.
The doctor highlighted a recent case in Sabah involving two medical officers whose contracts were not renewed, despite them having passed the first phase of an internationally recognised specialisation exam.
“No explanation or alternatives were given to these doctors.
“This issue has recurred, where we have had Malaysians serving abroad who are willing to give up their lucrative lives there just to return and serve the community.”
She said such doctors in Sabah differ from other contract doctors as they complete their housemanship training abroad before signing a separate contract as a medical officer in Malaysia.
She added this is unlike local contracted house officers, who sign a three-year contract prior to housemanship, followed by a two-year contract as medical officers.
She said some doctors whose contracts ended last year are no longer treated as frontliners and did not qualify for the first phase of the vaccine roll-out, despite having been on the front lines treating infected patients.
“When their contracts ended, their names were no longer included in the list for priority (Covid-19) vaccinations.”
Another doctor and former contract medical officer who found herself in this predicament said she left the Health Ministry in September last year after three years as she had received no news about her application for a permanent post.
I felt mistreated, due to the same reasons others have probably shared. Being contract MOs (medical officers) means that we do not have the privilege to apply for master’s programmes. We have to seek alternative pathways, which doesn’t seem to be advantageous for us – and so, it demotivated me from advancing my career with the ministry.”
She said during her time with the ministry, she was only receiving a houseman’s salary without flexi allowance, despite having worked as a medical officer for nearly three years.
She added that she was part of the earliest batch of doctors in the contract system to have done their housemanship abroad.
“It would be better if they could actually give us a heads-up that, after the contract, the chance of getting an extension is very slim for us, and that it is difficult to assess us since we did not do our housemanship in Malaysia.”
“I would probably choose a better prospect for myself. Maybe I would stay in the UK, or I could have started looking for jobs earlier on, before my contract ended.
“That would have saved me a lot of misery making multiple phone calls and trips to the ministry and Public Service Department.
“Instead, I was left hanging with no definite answer about anything.”
A public health expert, who also spoke under condition of anonymity, said the matter is a systemic one that does not bode well for the country in the long run.
“If you do not retain medical officers, you will have a crop of doctors who are currently specialists, but with no one to take over their place once they retire or leave for the private sector.
“Although the country has a glut of doctors or specialists, they may become scarce in the future, and the government may have to return to the days when they were dependent on foreign consultants.
“Both the Education and Health Ministries can better coordinate the medical skills that are in demand, and come up with a continuity plan.
“We need fresh professionals in certain areas in the future, and there could be new opportunities with the creation of new departments and new positions to be filled.”
He added that moving ahead, medical officers who are seen to be in oversupply can opt for different pathways, such as clinical research, epidemiology, traditional Chinese medicine, nuclear medicine, and medicine integrated with digital health, among others.
“People must understand the importance of continuity, as the doctors of today will one day retire or leave for the private sector, and there is currently a lack of opportunities to develop specialists.”
The expert said as Malaysia has the capacity to be home to 80 million people, the country needs to prepare infrastructure, especially in underserved parts of Sabah and Sarawak, where there can be more positions to be filled by doctors if facilities are built.
“We understand there is some concern by the ministry on automatic promotion that requires them to vacate certain positions.
“But then again, the private market will be flooded with too many doctors who might not be properly trained.” – The Vibes, April 18, 2021
