Junior contract doctors unfairly treated

LETTER | It came rather as a shock to learn that junior contract doctors from all over the country are being sent to the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19 at Hospital Sungai Buloh as well as at other government hospitals nationwide where people infected with Covid-19 are being tested and treated.

Why are junior contract doctors deployed over doctors in permanent positions as first choice front-liners in such an important and risky mission? Are these permanent doctors not part of the national healthcare system too? 

Or are these junior contract doctors easier to be bullied and at the mercy of those senior officials in the Ministry of Health who are sitting high in their ivory towers?

Yet, these poor junior contract doctors are not given permanent positions. These junior contract doctors whose initial three-year contracts which are expiring soon are having their contract extended for another two years (not to mention that they are still getting only a houseman’s remuneration and benefits under Grade UD41 despite having successfully completed their two-year housemanship posting and training).

This is indeed very demoralising for the junior contract doctors, especially at a time when the country is fighting hard against the outbreak of Covid-19. How does the government expect them to give their best to the rakyat?

This is not the way the Ministry of Health and the government should be treating those frontline warriors who are dedicated, patriotic, and at the same time risking their lives (and their families’) for the country and rakyat. 

They are the first to heed the ministry’s call to take up frontline duties without hesitation or reservation, but with full commitment and enthusiasm.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.