MMA president Dr Ravindran Naidu said that the 24-hour line called Helpdoc would provide support and guidance to doctors particularly trainee doctors going through the difficult transition in the medical career.
Ravindran said some of these trainee doctors were overwhelmed by the job, and Helpdoc would strive to offer support as best as it could.
The launch of Helpdoc comes amid reports of government doctors suffering fatigue and high levels of stress.
Last May, a traffic accident which killed paediatrician Dr Nurul Huda Ahmad was blamed on long work hours.
A 2015 survey on motor vehicle accidents involving 440 healthcare professionals revealed that some 55% of the accidents occurred after they had worked for 25 to 36 hours.
A recent report by Singapore daily The Straits Times also attributed the rising pressures faced by Malaysian government doctors on the spike in the number of Malaysians switching to public hospitals to beat rising cost of living.
At the event today, Dr K Selvam who chairs MMA’s taskforce said Helpdoc would gather details from the affected doctors.
But he said the cases may not necessarily need the expertise of a counsellor or psychiatrist.
“It could be a bullying case, or senior doctors could be unsure about certain regulations to set up a clinic,” Selvam told reporters at the launch of the helpline.
He said junior doctors should have the courage to come forward to voice their concerns, adding that the helpline would ensure privacy of the complainants.
Helpdoc, which can be reached at 603-40411140, will be initially available between 9.00am to 5.00pm, before going 24 hours next week.