Health Minister Accepts Strike Rumours Commits To Reforms Mp

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Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa is committed to meeting the ministry’s deadline to table a Health White Paper by June while efforts are underway to address urgent concerns faced by healthcare workers, according to Ipoh Timur MP Howard Lee.
Lee told Malaysiakini that the matter was raised during his meeting with Zaliha on Sunday, several hours after he raised an alarm over a potential unannounced strike by healthcare workers under pressure due to various operational constraints.
"I think the meeting with the minister was productive and encouraging.
"She accepted with an open heart and open arms the need for the issues behind this prospective and possible industrial action," said Lee when met in Parliament today.
"She acknowledges that the concerns behind it are real.
"But nonetheless, the ministry and minister herself need, rightfully and justifiably, time to finalise details to dot the I's and cross the T's for the white paper to be tabled," added the former DAP Youth chief.
Lee said he had expressed his personal views to Zaliha on the need to prioritise the health white paper above a separate vaccine white paper, although noting the final decision lies in the hands of the cabinet.
"Nevertheless, the minister welcomed what I said, and she informed me the health white paper is in the final stages.
"There are still certain parties yet to have their inputs for the white paper so it would be unfair and premature for it to be tabled in its incomplete stage," said Lee.
In the meantime, Lee expressed confidence that ongoing measures are being taken to address issues to be presented in the health white paper.
Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin previously indicated the move by the previous government towards tabling a health white paper that addresses the imbalance in resource allocation, organisation and policy focus between primary health care and hospital care.
Unplanned strike
Earlier today, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) urged Putrajaya to take rumours of the unplanned strike by healthcare workers seriously.
While MMA does not condone strikes, its president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai said they understand the frustration and burnout experienced by healthcare workers over issues that have been unresolved for years.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha MustafaCommenting further, Lee noted that his initial tweets that exposed the potential unannounced strike had led to accusations of "fear-mongering" and dismissal of such actions by healthcare workers.
"I can only say MMA has acknowledged the sound of the ground is indeed growling with anger, and that anger is not unfounded," he said.
"And even if the rumours I've heard are unfounded, even if the claims I was fear-mongering were because I have heard stories created by certain parties, I would rather be the person who voiced something that did not happen rather than stay silent and have to shoulder the sin of not saying anything when it happens when intervention could have been made by me saying it.
"So be it if it does not happen, and I would rather it not happen," he stressed.
While defending the rights of any parties to mount a strike, Lee reiterated that such action should be used as a tool to leverage for policy changes, in this case - urgent healthcare reforms.
"An unannounced strike is a strike with no positive outcome.
"Therefore, I would not lend my support to an unannounced strike, especially one that involves a critical sector that will involve lives," he said.
Previously, the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement which mounted a strike in July 2021, said they have no immediate plans to mount another mass action, and that any such move will be announced beforehand to prevent disruptions to the healthcare services.
An online poll by health news website CodeBlue recently found widespread dissatisfaction and anger among government healthcare workers.
It claimed the feelings were not limited to contract medical officers who protested their treatment last year. - Mkini

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