Kuala Lumpur: The government has been urged to abolish the contract system for doctors and to expedite the increase of on-call allowances for healthcare staff.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr. Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen stated that the country is currently facing not only a shortage of doctors but also a shortage of medical graduates to meet the nation’s needs.
“This contract system was introduced in 2016 because at that time there was a surplus of medical graduates awaiting permanent placement in the Ministry of Health.
“The lifespan of that policy, in my view, has passed. We must evaluate, we must review it, and abolish it if it brings more harm than good,” he said.
Dr. Kelvin Yii made this suggestion during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) in the Dewan Rakyat recently.
He added that those who have served for more than three years and have served in rural areas should be prioritised for permanent placement as soon as possible.
“For those who are newly entering the Ministry of Health system, we should abolish the contract system entirely,” he said.
At the same time, he also urged the government to expedite the increase in on-call allowances that have already been promised.
“We must understand that retaining healthcare workers requires a cost. A special allocation must be provided for the emoluments and on-call allowances of doctors and nurses, who are the backbone of our national healthcare system.
“The current rates do not reflect the value of our doctors and healthcare workers. We must also provide a clearer and more open career pathway for them to pursue specialisation and develop within this healthcare system,” he said.
