DOCTORS in the national healthcare system fear a recent Public Service Department’s (PSD) policy change would just put a public healthcare already burdened by a shortage of medical officers under more severe strain, The Star reports.

PSD announced on July 4 that contract doctors, dentists and pharmacists under its scholarships were permitted to apply for release from their bonds.

The policy could just trigger an exodus, the portal reported some of the contract doctors they interviewed as saying.

Hartal Doktor Kontrak spokesman Dr Muhammad Yassin told the portal he expected a minimum of 1,000 contract doctors to apply to forgo their bonds.

“The option for contract doctors to leave without completing their bond would lead to more harm than good. Medical personnel within the system are already being swamped.

“Those choosing to remain will have an increased workload, which can jeopardise the quality of services provided to patients,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

However, one of the chief complaints of contract doctors is not being able to secure permanent positions, even after years of service.

Last year, the Health Ministry reported that between December 2016 and May 31, 2021, a total of 23,077 doctors were appointed on a contract basis to undergo graduate training and compulsory service.

Of that number, only 789 or 31.47% of the 2,544 officers from the 2016 and 2017 batches had been offered permanent appointments by the government.

Muhammad said the Public Service Commission should therefore create more permanent positions for contract doctors, alongside specialist programmes.

Allowing contract doctors under PSD scholarships to leave without serving their bond was unfair as their education was funded by taxpayers’ money, he added.

He said at the end of the day, the rakyat and those who choose to remain in the system will be the ones suffering.

Prior to the policy change, those who broke their bonds could be penalised from RM300,000 up to RM1 million – depending on their country of study. – July 13, 2022.