Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

IT is not difficult to understand why the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) and former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye were troubled by the last-minute postings of doctors recently.

Yet, it is even more difficult to comprehend that the authorities, particularly the Health Ministry, had instructed placements of doctors at the 11th hour as if it was incapable of foreseeing the grave inconvenience it would cause.

Most civil servants for that matter, such as teachers, will also suffer such unwarranted inconvenience if they were to receive last-minute instructions.

Is it really that hard to fathom the kinds of problems that doctors would face?

For instance, it would be problematic to look for accommodation at short notice, especially when you are expected to report for duty the day after your hurried arrival.

This limbo state is not exactly what you would hope for in a not-so-familiar setting.

We can also imagine how stressful it can be for doctors with families. It would be not easy to enrol their children in new schools or search for day-care centres after overnight relocation.

Meanwhile, they will have no time to scout the area for public amenities, much less understand the demographics.

Before leaving for their new postings, the doctors may have to settle their bills or make arrangements for someone to take care of their aged parents. Time, therefore, is clearly of the essence.

This is apart from having to rush to pack for the impromptu journey.

Such is the nature of postings that it gives the public the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the ministry does not employ proper planning for its healthcare workers, which is worrying.

As it is, our healthcare system has, over the years, left much to be desired. For example, there are doctors who work on a contract basis and are treated unfairly in terms of career path and occupational benefits.

Government hospitals are generally overcrowded, putting a strain on worn-out medical equipment and healthcare workers, particularly doctors and specialists.

The strain is expected to worsen with our expanding ageing population.

Medical officers deserve better. We are talking about doctors who generally had performed excellently against all odds especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. As frontliners, many had put their lives at risk.

As intimated above, many of these doctors work long hours, which puts a stress on their mental and physical health. The thought of having to hurriedly search for accommodation, for example, in a new setting should be the last thing on their minds.

It is only fair, as suggested by the MMA, that the affected doctors be compensated for the inconvenience.

An image of haphazard planning obviously does not reflect well on the Health Ministry that is in need of remedy for its outstanding problems. – February 3, 2023.