HTAR Klang contract doctors to give written explanation for strike participation

KLANG: Contract doctors from Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) here will be asked to give a written explanation as to why they participated in a nationwide strike on Monday (July 26).

HTAR director Dr Zulkarnain Mohd Rawi has been quoted as saying that disciplinary action could also be taken against the 24 contract doctors who had participated in the strike initiated by the contract doctor’s group Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK).

Dr Zulkarnain had said doctors were bound by the Hippocratic Oath and must put the interests of their patients before their own.

"Doctors have to be self-sacrificing in the best interest of the patients and not sacrifice patients for their own interest. Becoming a doctor is to help people in their time of need without taking self-interest into account," he added.

He also said being a doctor is to become a part of a noble profession and added that doctors must not tarnish the image of the profession.

Dr Zulkarnain called for doctors to not allow themselves to be incited and influenced to join the strike given their problems were being looked into by the government.

HDK had organized the strike to demand for permanent positions and remuneration as these doctors have to look for jobs in the private sector once their five-year training stint ends.

Their take-home salaries and remuneration are also much lower than permanent doctors, although the workload is the same.

Recently, the government said the doctors’ contracts would be extended for another four years but did not offer them permanent positions.