Hartal Doktor Kontrak strongly opposes the new directive under the civil service remuneration system (SSPA), which mandates an additional three working hours per week for ward nurses, starting December 1, 2024.
This ruling is not only unjust but also risks exacerbating the already dire situation faced by our dedicated nursing staff, who are the backbone of Malaysia’s health care system.
Our nurses have long been overworked, underappreciated, and stretched to their limits, often sacrificing their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing to care for patients.
Instead of alleviating their burden, this policy further compounds their stress and exhaustion, with far-reaching consequences.
The additional working hours, coupled with stagnant wages and the lack of sufficient allowances, will drive more of our skilled nurses to seek employment overseas, where working conditions are more humane and pay is more competitive.
With fewer nurses to manage rising patient loads, the quality of care will inevitably decline, putting patients and the public at significant risk.
A health care system that neglects its workers cannot effectively serve its people. Public confidence in the health care system will falter if essential services are compromised due to workforce shortages.
This directive is a step backward. It fails to address the underlying issues faced by our nursing workforce, such as insufficient shift allowances, lack of work-life balance, and the immense physical and emotional toll of shift work.
Comparing shift workers in health care to office-based civil servants demonstrates a lack of understanding of the unique challenges faced by health care providers.
We urge the Ministry of Health and the Public Service Department to revisit this decision immediately. Policies should prioritise the wellbeing of health care workers and foster a supportive environment that retains talent within Malaysia.
Nurses are at the heart of our health care system. Without them, the system will collapse. Hartal Doktor Kontrak stands in solidarity with our nurses and calls on all relevant stakeholders to advocate for fairer working conditions, better remuneration, and policies that value the contributions of our health care professionals.
We cannot afford to lose our nurses. They deserve better – and so does Malaysia.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
