PETALING JAYA: Establish an independent Health Service Commission to ensure that policies and frameworks for the health sector align better with the reality of doctors' work, without being overly dependent on JPA guidelines, says PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden.
The Alor Setar member of parliament also said that the government must improve its engagement with healthcare workers and listen to doctors' grouses.
Afnan said this in a statement on Saturday (Jan 18) over the issue of the shifts for doctors, known as Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB), which has come under fire in recent days.
“Although the initial objective of implementing the WBB was to reduce workloads and improve work-life balance among medical officers, various emerging issues suggest that this policy requires a thorough re-examination.
“As front-line workers who serve tirelessly for the people and the country, the welfare and fairness for government doctors must be a priority. The government cannot merely adhere to the guidelines set by JPA without understanding the realities of the doctors' work, which differ significantly from other public sectors,” said Afnan.
He said that the recent town hall session did not achieve its objectives because there was a lack of dialogue space, and critical questions were not given proper attention.
“This process should be repeated with broader participation, involving junior medical officers (MOs) and specialists.
“The issue of unequal 'on-call' allowances and the unfair rate setting between units practising WBB and those that do not is unacceptable.
“Furthermore, the RM9/hour rate is disproportionate to the intensity and risks associated with the doctors' work, bordering on an insult to their sacrifices. The 'on-call' allowance must be increased immediately without waiting for changes in the working model.
“The WBB introduced has been seen to add further burden to doctors due to a shortage of personnel. This issue will not be resolved merely by changing the working hours system but requires immediate action to increase the workforce sufficiently,” said Afnan.
He further pointed out that the approach to WBB, which overly depends on the JPA guidelines, must be re-examined.
“The health service scheme cannot be equated with other sectors. Therefore, PAS Youth supports the proposal to establish an independent Health Service Commission to ensure that policies and frameworks for the health sector align better with the reality of doctors' work.
“Any changes to work policies must ensure equity for all doctors, ensuring no significant gap between those benefiting from WBB and those remaining under the current system.
“I would like to remind the government that the welfare of doctors is not merely a technical issue but also involves moral and ethical aspects.
“The reality is that doctors have faced extraordinary challenges as the nation's front-line workers, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, they deserve due attention without compromise,” said Afnan.
