PUTRAJAYA, April 11 — More meetings between the Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) movement and the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be held to discuss issues related to contract doctors, says HDK spokesperson Dr Muhammad Yassin.
Speaking to reporters outside the MOH building here today, he said it was one of the things promised by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa in a meeting that lasted about 40 minutes today.
HDK also submitted a memorandum highlighting its demands during the meeting, he said.
“Dr Zaliha promised to have constant engagement with HDK so that we can be the intermediary between contract doctors and the recently established high-level committee (HLC),” he said, explaining that HDK wants MOH to include their representative as a member of the HLC and for the HDK to be the ‘middle point’ between the ministry and the government contract doctors in efforts to find a solution that will please all parties, as contained in the memorandum.
“However, Dr Zaliha said HDK’s involvement in the HLC might be slightly difficult given that HLC was formed at the Cabinet level,” he said.
Dr Zaliha had previously announced that on March 31 the Cabinet agreed to set up the HLC to deal with the issue of contract doctors involving several ministries and agencies including the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is the HLC chairman was reported as saying that the government would ensure the implementation of a win-win solution so that no party will be at a loss or feel left out in resolving the contract doctor issue.
HDK also wanted the government to speed up the process of establishing the Health Services Commission and the Health Reform Commission as measures to improve welfare and secure the position of contract healthcare workers.
