‘Give health officers five years’

SUpp: Six-month contract extension unreasonable for frontliners

KUCHING: Contracts of at least five years should be offered to medical, dentistry and pharmaceutical officers instead of extending them by only six months, says SUPP education bureau chairman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing.

The bureau, he added, strongly opposed the six-month contract extension, calling it “shocking and unreasonable”, as the health officers were risking their lives as frontliners in the fight against Covid-19.

“We are extremely sympathetic towards the 1,139 pharmacists, 852 dental officers and 79 medical officers who are risking their young lives to save the lives of others.

“We will fight for a fair and reasonable contract for them,” he said.

On Wednesday, Health Minister

Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the ministry had approved a six-month extension for health officers whose contracts were due to end in stages at the end of 2019 and 2020.

He said the approval included 79 medical officers in grade UD41, 852 dental officers in grade UG41 and 1,139 pharmacy officers in grade UF41, adding that the decision was in line with the government’s aim to flatten the curve of the pandemic.

Ding said the ministry seemed to have forgotten that the health officers were staff to be treated with respect and dignity.

“Any pharmacist, dental officer or medical officer offered a sixmonth contract will feel insulted.

“We are of the view that the ministry has to offer them not just good remuneration but a sense of job security. With a contract lasting only six months, where is their future with the ministry?

“Parents have told us that the ministry is just making use of these young pharmacists, dental officers and medical officers like disposable diapers and tissue paper,” he said.

Ding added that what the ministry needed most now were competent and dedicated medical staff in the fight against Covid-19.

“Malaysia faces a shortage of medical specialists and in years to come our country needs them to serve. The young pharmacists, dental officers and medical officers deserve much better than this callous and insincere treatment from the ministry,” he said.

In Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said the government’s decision to extend the contract doctors’ term for another six months was welcomed but the short-term solution did not address the issue of these doctors’ career continuity and opportunity.

Its president Dr N. Ganabaskaran said the MMA’s Section Concerning House Officers and Medical Officers (Schomos) had asked for an extended contract for a total of 10 years.

“This is for contract MOs (medical officers) to allow for specialisation and gazettement before absorption as permanent staff for successful specialists,” he said in a statement.

He said this should be done to meet the much-needed specialist services in the country.

Dr Ganabaskaran said the Health Ministry previously requested for 22,500 positions but only 10,000 were granted, leaving a shortfall.

“The government needs to ensure that the growth of the healthcare services to meet the population growth is matched with an increase in permanent positions.

“This is to ensure that services are not compromised,” he added.