It said such action cannot be condoned during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
MMA’s Section for Housemen and Medical Officers (Schomos) has reassured contract doctors they are currently working with the authorities to resolve their issues.
This followed a meeting between MMA and finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who called the medical association for urgent discussions after it sent out a letter on June 23 to the government and all MPs on the plight of contract doctors.
“As doctors, our first and foremost guiding principle is still to do no harm. While the MMA and Schomos will not condone a work strike during a pandemic, we will instead be planning for a day of solidarity for our junior doctors,” Schomos said in a Facebook post.
The problems faced by contract doctors have become a hot debate within the medical profession. A key issue is that more than 23,000 contract doctors in government service and who had graduated since December 2016, have not been automatically absorbed into the permanent scheme, as it was done in the past.
Most of them have had their contacts extended till the end of 2022,but the uncertainty over their future employment still remains.
Some doctors and organisations in the profession had argued that with more than 4,000 doctors graduating each year, the problem facing the contract doctors will only be compounded as the years go on – if the government does not find a permanent solution.
Replying to a letter from an NGO on Tuesday, health minister Dr Adham Baba said permanent posts can only be offered to contract doctors based on vacancies, and any arbitrary additions to existing positions will be queried by the government auditors. He added that the health ministry is looking for solutions.
“From December 2016 to May this year, a total of 23,077 contract doctors were in the service. Out of this, we offered permanent positions to 789. Vacancies are not created according to the number of graduates, which is increasing every year.
“We have three evaluation committees in the ministry which select the candidates for the posts that are vacant. There are specific guidelines for the evaluators to adhere to,” he said in the letter.
Adham reminded the doctors that serving in the private sector too is a way of contributing towards the development of the national health service.
Schomos however said the government ought to realise that it is the failure of the contract system introduced for doctors more than four years ago that has led to this call for drastic action by the affected doctors.
It said there is no clear or transparent criteria or proper evaluation for selection for permanent posts, and no postgraduate pathway for the contract doctors.
“With their contracts ending in as little as six months, these doctors have little to lose by carrying out this strike.”
Schomos said it had requested for a town hall session with the affected doctors to allow the sentiments on the ground to be heard, adding that it was in the midst of finalising these plans.
“Rest assured that MMA-Schomos will continue to work with the authorities who have responded to our open letter dated June 23.
“We hope to share news of positive results soon.”