THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has lauded Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for pledging to find a comprehensive solution to the issues of healthcare contract workers.
“Although these workers are employed on contract under the Ministry of Health (MOH), it is hoped that the Human Resources Ministry will use its powers to correct the policies that have led to these issues, many of which are human resources issues affecting the welfare of these workers,” said association president Dr Koh Kar Chai.
Dr Koh said this in response to news of National Union of Workers in Hospital Support and Allied Services (NUWHSAS) president Roziah Mohd Hashim and other union representatives who travelled from Bukit Mertajam Hospital in Penang to present Khairy with a memorandum at MOH’s headquarters.
According to news reports, Roziah is a single mother who, for the past 15 years, had raised her five children with just RM1,200 a month as a cleaner at the general hospital in Penang.
The memorandum they handed in demanded that the contract system be abolished and support staff be given permanent placements, increasing wages to RM1,500 and also to stop harassment by contractors in the union.
In response, Khairy on Tuesday (Feb 8) had said that he will personally look into the issues brought forward by the union and meet with concession companies under the MOH to understand the roots of the issue.
“Earning a monthly salary of RM1,200 for 15 years is totally unacceptable. How can a person be motivated to progress or grow in any organisation if there is no increase in their wages for that long?” said Dr Koh on the matter.
“The Human Resources Ministry must step in and act on addressing this. From what is being described, cleaners are being treated unfairly, and it is time we show more respect to the people who keep our healthcare facilities clean.
“Cleaners are also frontliners and play a key role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
“Healthcare facilities can be hotbeds of infections due to their high exposure to the sick on a daily basis therefore frequent cleaning and disinfecting of the premises is required. Any contamination can affect outcomes in the delivery of care.”
Dr Koh further remarked that the Human Resources Ministry must ensure that the welfare of these contract workers are taken care of and that they are protected against any form of exploitation.
“It should also be ensured that the contract system is not being abused. The hiring policies whether for permanent positions or by contract through a company must be fair and transparent.
“Cleaners are part of the healthcare ecosystem and should be recognised for their important role. The duties of cleaners are labour-intensive and they should not be made to take on two or three jobs to make ends meet.” – Feb 10, 2022
