HDK to submit memorandum to Health Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) will be submitting a memorandum to Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa for the group to be included in the government’s newly formed high level committee (HLC).

The HDK secretariat said that this is one of the steps towards resolving the issues related to the contract doctors as it involved multiple ministry officials to expedite discussion and analysis.

“We urge Dr Zaliha to include HDK as a member of the committee to properly represent the contract doctors.

“Without proper representation at the committee, it will not be as impactful as the same previous committees will be looking into the matter,” it said in a statement today.

HDK also said it would look to set up a national healthcare commission that will oversee, decide and improve the nation’s healthcare services.

“We will work with Dr Zaliha and other ministries to expedite this process,” the statement added.

The government announced that the Cabinet agreed to set up the HLC, made up of representatives from several ministries and agencies including the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, to deal with the issue of contract doctors.

A purported three-day strike involving 8,000 contract doctors from today was also being planned by another group who call themselves Mogok Doktor Malaysia (MDM).

However, checks by the New Straits Times found that the strike did not seem to impact operations at hospitals today.

HDK again reiterated its stance that it was not involved in the alleged strike today, but respected the right for the said doctors to protest.

“We do hope patient care is not jeopardised and healthcare services can resume once the protest is done,” said in the statement.

NST