KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — The group calling itself Mogok Doktor Malaysia dubbed its first day of the contract doctors' strike yesterday as "successful", even as public hospitals and the media reported that the healthcare service was running as usual.
The group’s spokesman told New Straits Times that the strike was not noticeable as there were 30 per cent less patients yesterday following news of the planned strike.
“We have gone through the census books in the emergency departments and labour rooms... the patient rate was reduced by 30 per cent.
“It seems like nothing happened because the crowd has reduced, thus the workforce is adequate to manage the situation,” the spokesman reportedly said.
It reportedly justified the "success" by saying that medical officers had to carry out the duties usually run by house officers instead, since some contract doctors had taken leave in conjunction with the strike.
The spokesman also said that the strike — ongoing until tomorrow — is just an "early warning" for the Health Ministry and the next strike will be “more devastating” should things stay the same for contract doctors.
The spokesman also said the group is satisfied that the issues affecting contract doctors have been highlighted to the public and also politicians.
The group is also looking forward to cooperating with any political parties which can fight for contract doctors' rights, adding that it is not anti-government.
Last Wednesday, Mogok Doktor Malaysia told The Star it has asked doctors to take emergency or medical leave on April 3 to 5 as a sign of protest against low wages and an unfair system.
The group is demanding the absorption of all contract medical officers into permanent positions, basic salary increments, higher on-call rates, and an automatic reduction in the compulsory service term for medical officers to three years.
It is also calling for a reduction in on-call and work hours for medical officers and house officers, and for specialist shortages to be addressed.
