FEELING the heat from contract medical officers’ (MO) uproar, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said that he would raise the former’s concerns to the Cabinet soon.
According to a report by Sinar Harian today, the minister was reported saying that as of May 31, there were 35,216 contractual healthcare staff under three schemes, which as follows:
- Medical officers (UD41): 23,077
- Dental officers (UG41): 5,000
- Pharmacists (UF41): 7,139
“Therefore, I urge those under contract to remain calm and patient. I have prepared the working papers and we will see what the Cabinet decides,” he was reported saying.
Recently, contract MOs have threatened to launch a strike as they were unhappy that over 23,000 of them have yet to get absorbed automatically as permanent staff, as was the practice in the past.
Many of them have been serving since December 2016, adding they were upset that the Government had only promised to extend their contracts until December next year.
On June 23, Adham said that the Government has never stopped taking medical graduates for training, even during the pandemic crisis.
Several politicians and groups have come out to support contract MOs cause, such as the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS), the Malaysian Health Coalition (MHC), the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) and former Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Today, MOs and the public took to the Twitter trending #CodeBlackMY to support the former’s cause, with one user even hurling criticism against the Government for only take action after years of apathy. – July 1, 2021.
