KUALA LUMPUR – Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) today appears to be unaffected by the strike planned by organisers Mogok Doktor Malaysia (Malaysian Doctors on Strike).
The strike, which kicked off today and is expected to last until Wednesday, has also seemingly fallen short of the organisers’ expectations of “paralysing” healthcare services.
Despite the “strike”, the hospital here was not overwhelmed by patients, nor did it suffer a visible shortage of manpower.
Speaking anonymously, several staffers and patients at the hospital said that patient care services today did not differ from conditions before the strike.
“There is a bit of a shortage (of doctors), but it’s not to the point where we are overwhelmed by the influx of patients.
“We’re not that shorthanded, we can still handle patients that come in,” a hospital staffer stationed at the emergency department said.
Another doctor alleged that some medical staffers were warned of action by hospital management if they took part in the strike.
Similar warnings were reported in Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, with a doctor telling The Vibes that some medical staffers were barred from taking their off days to support the strike.
Other doctors, when quizzed, refused to speak with the media, with some denying any knowledge of the strike.
“I don’t know anything about a strike. I haven’t heard anything about it,” one doctor said.
Hospital staff with knowledge of doctors’ rosters insisted that there has been “no unusual activity” among doctors’ schedules, with officers on duty carrying out their tasks as usual.
Besides that, an elderly patient, who came to the hospital over breathing difficulties, expressed mixed opinions about the strike, noting that relatives who are doctors have never complained about their work schedule.
“My daughter-in-law works around the clock, but I’ve never heard her making noise about her hours.
“But if they are planning a strike, then that means that work conditions must be really bad for them,” he said, adding that he was not aware the strike would be taking place today.
Previously, a spokesman for the strike organisers told The Vibes that at least 10,000 to 12,000 contract doctors are expected to go on strike today.
Claiming that the move could see public healthcare services come to a halt, the spokesman urged doctors to prioritise themselves.
The organisers are calling for the government to award all contract medical officers with permanent positions and improved compensation schemes.
In 2021, another group called Hartal Doktor Kontrak staged a nationwide walkout.
Hartal Doktor Kontrak has publicly stated that it has nothing to do with the strike planned for today. – The Vibes, April 3, 2023
Additional reporting by Maithilli Kalaiselvan
