FOLLOWING a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) reiterates on how the country needs a holistic and long-term plan to help alleviate issues of contract doctors in the healthcare system.
Through the meeting, attended by the Health Minister, Health Secretary General, Deputy DG of Health and several MMA Exco members, Mahiaddin announced contract extensions and similar benefits and perks to be provided to doctors as immediate short-term steps.
Doing so will allow contract doctors to specialise and be eligible for similar perks as their counterpart.
However, Mahiaddin admitted that the condition of the pandemic has presented several limitations for the Government to currently provide a more permanent solution to the issue.
“We welcome the short-term steps being implemented, but this is not a solution to the problem. Healthcare workers critical now, and we hope that there will be more positions will be created for more permanent posts,” said MMA president Prof Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy.
“The current proposal of a contract extension needs to be reviewed as other factors that may delay specialisation should be taken into account,” he added.
The meeting also established that MMA will be more involved in healthcare-related policies for the Government to get a better picture of the on-ground situation. – July 24, 2021
