Checks by FMT did not reveal any surge in patients awaiting treatment nor a pressing lack of manpower at the two hospitals.
While the emergency department at HKL – the busiest and largest government hospital – was crowded as usual, there seemed to be little to no changes in its operations.
A hospital staff member who spoke on condition of anonymity said the emergency department was a little short-handed as a handful of contract doctors were believed to have joined the strike.
However, the staff member said the department was far from being paralysed by the strike, with its operations not affected.
A patient, Sheikh Alauddin, who had come for a heart checkup, told FMT that everything seemed normal at the hospital. Sheikh said he was unaware of any strike planned by contract doctors.
At Serdang Hospital, a doctor said no one in the emergency department had reported sick or taken emergency leave, though he was not sure about the other departments.
A staff member at the hospital’s oral and maxillofacial clinic also said none of the contract doctors there had taken leave.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said it found that no strikes were being held in any public healthcare facility nationwide.
However, MMA president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said the issue of public fear over the strike needed to be addressed, adding that the group had received calls from the public over the matter.
“We hope the health ministry, through more frequent messaging through press statements and social media updates, will allay these fears and reassure the public that all public health care services are not disrupted,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said all government hospitals have been ordered to be on “standby mode” from today to brace for the possible strike.
More than 8,000 contract doctors are expected to go on strike from today to Wednesday by taking medical or emergency leave. They are protesting against what they described as an unfair system and low wages.
The group organising the strike, Mogok Doktor Malaysia (Malaysian Doctors on Strike), warned of longer waiting time at health clinics and government hospitals during the three days.
It also said some 3,000 contract doctors could resign en masse during this period.