KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) slammed the federal government over its obvious incomprehension in coping with medical doctors’ welfare.
MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz mentioned the federal government was being “inefficient” when it got here to replying to the difficulty of medical doctors’ welfare because it took Putrajaya 10 months to share the suggestions from the townhall session that was held in February.
“We are completely disenchanted over the federal government’s outright rejection of our proposal requesting to enhance public healthcare medical doctors’ weekend on-call allowance from the present hourly charge of RM9.16 to RM25.
“The Ministry of Health’s (MoH) response stating that RM9.16 is an ‘applicable’ charge is an insult to not solely medical doctors, however all healthcare staff within the nation. Is the federal government even conscious that there are waiters within the nation who receives a commission the next hourly charge than its medical doctors?” Dr Azizan requested by way of a press release.
Advertisement
Contrary to the federal government’s rationalization, Dr Azizan mentioned that the quantity is for twenty-four hours of labor (which might not be paid had the physician not labored); subsequently, the RM220 needs to be divided by 24 hours.
“The standards for choice to everlasting standards is extraordinarily basic and doesn’t present any type of rating system for a clear, correct evaluation and analysis of medical doctors,” she added.
Dr Azizan additionally mentioned that the wrong info supplied by the federal government on these points had created false public notion.
Advertisement
“It needs to be famous that not all public healthcare medical doctors are entitled to the allowances talked about.
“Entitlement to the varied allowances is determined by the physician’s place and rank. Most medical doctors don’t obtain such allowances acknowledged within the authorities’s reply,” she mentioned.
Yesterday, eNews Malaysia reported that the federal government turned down a request from the MMA for a rise in on-call allowances for medical doctors, stating that it’s certain by a 2019 service round by the Finance Ministry and Public Service Department (JPA).
In a written reply to the MMA two weeks in the past, the Health Ministry mentioned the place of different providers in relation to allowances and the monetary place of the nation should even be thought-about.
According to the ministry, it had submitted many purposes and appeals to JPA in 2020 and final yr, however they have been all rejected.
“At the second, the federal government is of the view that the present on-call allowances are applicable as medical doctors take pleasure in many different allowances. They are essential service allowance (RM750 month-to-month), specialist incentive (from RM2,200 to RM3,100 month-to-month), and locum allowance to work off-duty hours (RM80 per hour).
“Others are elective surgical procedure allowance (RM200 for specialists and RM80 for medical officers per hour) and for hospital administration (RM1,520 to RM2,480 per 30 days in accordance to grades),” MoH was quoted as saying.
Dr Azizan mentioned these on the Health Ministry, who have been supposed to make selections, could lack a transparent understanding or are lacking the correct info wanted to resolve on the proposed enhance.
“If certainly the decision (to reject the rise in on-call allowance) was made with out referring to correct info, we want to request that the federal government re-evaluate and rethink its decision regarding the proposed on-call charge enhance.
“Remember Dr Ali together with his RM17k wage? We would really like to remind the federal government that this isn’t the primary time the federal government had supplied inaccurate info in a press release.
“Early this yr, the federal government’s explainer on on-call allowance revealed within the media was factually incorrect. The authorities had since not retracted its assertion nor apologised for its mistake,” she defined.
File image of Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz. Dr Azizan mentioned these on the Health Ministry, who have been supposed to make selections, could lack a transparent understanding or are lacking the correct info wanted to resolve on the proposed enhance.
Dr Azizan additionally reminded the federal government of the excessive attrition charge in public healthcare.
“From 2017 to 2022, Contract Medical Officer resignations jumped by a whopping 1,131 per cent.
“It was additionally reported that 890 specialists resigned from authorities service between 2018 to 2022 — a mean of greater than 4 specialists leaving per week between that point,” she added.
She additionally mentioned that the federal government shouldn’t take calmly on the frustration amongst medical doctors in public healthcare
“There is concern that on prime of the burnout many medical doctors are experiencing coupled with the low wages earned, points just like the stagnant on-call allowance could spark additional frustration and mind drain.
“Doctors in public healthcare haven’t seen a rise in on-call allowance for over a decade. Taking into consideration inflation, the on-call allowance charge needs to be reviewed each 5 years,” she mentioned.
