Create more slots in master’s programme

MY son who is a medical officer with a public hospital is once again dejected and frustrated that his application for the master’s programme 2016/2017 intake has yet again been rejected by the Health Ministry, which announced the results on their website last Friday.

He has worked for six long years with the Health Ministry. Over the last four years or so, he has worked diligently and given all he has at the surgical departments of two hospitals in Pahang and Penang. He passed the entrance examinations for the programme and subsequently attended the interview session.

The Health Ministry and everyone else in the medical fraternity are fully aware of the acute shortage of surgeons in public hospitals which directly effect the healthcare provided to the poor segment of the public. Yet, after having served for so many years, he does not seem to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Is it not enough to have passed the stringent examinations set by the panel universities to prove that he is competent and deserves the place? What else does he and the other thousands of medical officers need to do to get into this programme?

The Health Ministry must immediately seek more slots for surgery and make sure that all available places offered by the universities are fully used.

It is imperative that the Chief Secretary to the Government, the minister, secretary-general and director-general of health treat this matter with utmost seriousness and urgency so as not to further de-motivate those medical officers who have served selflessly for the sake of the poor rakyat. Please do not kill their dreams.

FRUSTRATED TAX-PAYING MUM

Kajang