The doctor posted his problems on his Facebook page under the name Chun Tean, listing seven issues bugging him and his colleagues at the clinic.
The issues include paying for cleaning services and air-conditioner repairs using their own money, being forced to buy their own stationery or using recycled paper to write referral letters, and absence of dengue combo kits despite the dengue season.
Chun Tean also said he sometimes felt underappreciated despite working extra hours.
“Previously, we used to close the registration counter at 8.45pm in order to clear the remaining patients in the clinic so we close shop at 9.30pm. But recently, a patient complained on Facebook saying that our clinic is lousy because we closed before time.
“From that moment onwards, we are not allowed to close (the) counter till 9.15pm and we still have to take in patients if they come at 9.29pm.
“Some of the nights, I still have 15-20 patients at 8.45pm, and I am all alone, and yet I need to close (the) clinic at 9.30pm,” he lamented.
He said things only moved, for better or worse, when someone complained on social media.
The cleaning situation at his clinic was resolved for a few months after someone complained about the cleanliness but it returned to the way it was before once the funds ran out.
The broken air-conditioners were serviced after a patient who is related to a VIP complained about the leaking unit in his room. A politician, who was surprised by the clinic’s condition, took care of all the air-conditioners.
Chun Tean said he was forced to voice his concern on his personal Facebook because he noticed that government bodies only acted when issues were put on social media but not when proper channels were used.
He ended his post by defending his decision to air his concern on social media, saying he only wanted to fight for his rights or at least, basic government employee rights.
“I am risking my career for my clinic and patients. If anything happens to my career, you know who should be responsible for this.
“I am writing based on what I saw and encountered. I might be wrong and not up to date with their latest plans,” he said.
The post. which was uploaded yesterday, has since received more than 1,500 shares and 300 comments, mostly from people who commended Chun Tean for his courage, although there were some who said he should not have used social media.
Others said Chun Tean’s situation was hardly unique and that it was the lot of most suburban and rural clinics nationwide.
More morbid commenters advised Chun Tean to pray for a by-election so that the government would provide funds to upgrade all facilities in the constituency, citing what was happening in Sandakan as an example.
On his latest post today, Chun Tean said he would be meeting the department director on Thursday but admitted he did not know what would happen.
“I might be using the wrong channel to voice out, but at least we are being heard, and I am just fighting for my clinic’s right and my patients. I am already expecting the worst,” he said.
Meanwhile, speaking to FMT, state minister in charge of health Frankie Poon said he was aware of Chun Tean’s post and had instructed ministry staff to investigate the matter.
He said such complaints were unfortunately quite normal even before the new government had taken over.
“However, I will discuss the matter with the director and I think after Thursday, I can give a better comment on the issue,” he said.