JOHOR BARU – Mogok Doktor Malaysia (Malaysian Doctors on Strike) expects at least 10,000 to 12,000 contract doctors to go on strike today.
Speaking to The Vibes on Instagram, a spokesman said that the move could see the nation’s public healthcare services coming to a halt.
“The emergency services, labour rooms, and outpatient departments are expected to be paralysed,” the spokesman said.
Asked about pushback against the strike and the possibility that medical personnel may be hesitant to participate out of fear of being reprimanded, Mogok Doktor Malaysia said that it is time for doctors to prioritise themselves.
“My advice to contract doctors: please prioritise your own mental and physical wellbeing, and take medical leave whenever you feel burnt out.”
‘Damned if you strike, damned if you don’t’
Dr Jeanette (not her real name), who serves at a hospital in northern Johor, explained that she will not be able to participate in the strike, as she is still serving her housemanship.
She said this is because she risked being unable to complete the housemanship, with the possibility of having her posting extended.
Nevertheless, she explained that the director of the hospital where she serves has held a meeting with doctors to warn them against participating in the strike.
The director had a meeting with all housemen and medical officers to tell us we are not allowed to strike, and complained that we are money-minded and lack passion.
“Half of the doctors here have quit after housemanship, so we asked the director what they have to offer to make us stay.
“He said everything but (did not) answer our question,” she told The Vibes.
Currently, it has been four months since Dr Jeanette has off days on the weekend.
She said she does not plan to stay on with the Health Ministry (MoH) after she completes her housemanship.
Honestly, and I am 100% sure (of it), I am leaving after my housemanship to go overseas.
“I consider myself someone with a real passion for medicine and someone who cares about patients.
“They (MoH) have lost many really good doctors.”
Not just contract doctors: other medical personnel back strike
Dr Michael (not his real name) is currently a permanent medical officer at a government hospital here in Johor Baru.
He said he will go on leave to support the strike in solidarity with the other medical personnel, as he was previously a contract worker.
“I feel that it’s important to treat all doctors equally whether contract or not, just like how we treat our patients.
The Civil Service Department and MoH have to review our salary and on-call claims, as it has been 10 years plus, and it is not compatible with the current inflation and expenses.
“There are many memes on how we are paid less than a Starbucks barista,” Dr Michael said.
Will nurses have to bear brunt of striking doctors?
Meanwhile, Sabrina (also not her real name), who served as a nurse at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, explained that the strike could increase the workload of nurses in healthcare facilities.
However, she supports the strike, as she believes this is a “desperate” time for medical personnel.
Sabrina also slammed MoH’s for its apparent lack of effective action, as the issues faced by its staffers are not new.
“The critical issue is short-staffing, but somehow they (MoH) always manage to come up with solutions that do not reflect their commitment to resolving the issue.
“Nurses have it hard too, but somehow they are not as vocal as the contract doctors.
There are also contract nurses, pharmacists, and other personnel. By protesting, these contract doctors also indirectly speak on behalf of (us) all.”
Mogok Doktor Malaysia is planning a three-day strike from today till April 5, warning the public that government healthcare facilities could see a spike in waiting times for patients.
The strike is understood to be calling for the government to award all contract medical officers a permanent position with fair 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 scheduled for today. – The Vibes, April 3, 2023
