Perhaps the health minister and health DG can follow a medical officer for the entire duration of one call to experience the true extent of the issues.
The ministry attributes the 4,652 unfilled positions to housemen completing their training, resignations, or terminations. MOH records show that all past housemen training slots were filled.
Perikatan Nasional’s shadow health minister says the government should also upgrade “unsafe” MOH facilities and offer detailed plans to raise health spending to 5% of GDP in 5 years.
Muda president Syed Saddiq calls for special allowances for all health care workers, including non-doctor staff; easier and faster claims process; and standardised wages between contract and permanent doctors.
Overworked and underpaid health care workers are warning us that our public health care system is collapsing. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim must intervene and place this crisis at the top of his government's agenda within his first 100 days, says CodeBlue.
In the permanent staff subset (798 people) of CodeBlue’s survey among government health care workers, 62% are currently thinking of quitting, while 41% are ready to go on strike. A quarter of permanent staff who want to quit are specialists/ subspecialists.
In a general statement without setting a timeline for measures to resolve health care workers’ frustrations, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa reiterates the Health White Paper and periodic meetings with stakeholders, including workers on the field.
Health care workers across the public and private sectors express hopes for the next government, including fair opportunities for junior doctors and higher allowances for nurses and admin staff.