Government’s neglect deters youth from medical career – Muda

SHAH ALAM - Government inaction puts healthcare workers’ rights at risk and deters younger generations from pursuing medical careers, says Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) central executive committee member Ainie Haziqah Shafii.

She voiced her concerns about the current state of the healthcare system in Malaysia, highlighting the alleged lack of proactive government action to uphold the rights of healthcare workers.

"There are no proactive actions by the government to uphold the rights of the healthcare workers, especially when they have to work the most with not-so-attractive salaries and allowances together with benefits," she told Sinar Daily.

Ainie claimed the situation is creating a hostile environment that not only dissuades current healthcare workers but also deters younger generations from entering the medical profession.

"I think younger generations are increasingly discouraged from pursuing careers in medicine due to negative perceptions fuelled by media coverage and social media, which highlight issues like poor treatment of healthcare workers, uncertain career progression, unfair salary schemes and mental health challenges," she said.

She further said social media has played a significant role in amplifying the frustrations of healthcare workers, making the challenges faced by doctors more visible than those in other professions.

"Social media, in particular, has amplified the voices of healthcare workers expressing their frustrations with the system.

"This visibility highlights the challenges faced by doctors more than in other professions, creating a perception that becoming a doctor entails significant personal sacrifices.

"There is a shift in values among younger generations towards prioritising a good work-life balance, something that a medical career often cannot provide," she said.

Ainie also pointed out that the government's inaction has left healthcare workers feeling neglected and undervalued.

"After all, these are the people we thought would care for the people in our country," she stressed, underscoring the crucial role of healthcare workers in society.

Government Solutions Needed

When asked about the solution government should do, Ainie urged the government to take immediate and meaningful action to address these issues.

"Listen to our frontline workers, bring all relevant parties into the conversation, and work together to find the solutions. I know that the answers are not easy, but we have been grappling with these issues for years without meaningful solutions.

Ainie highlighted the growing frustration among doctors, many of whom are leaving government positions in large numbers.

"Who suffers at the end of the day? The people of this country as a whole.

“Make it a priority to improve compensation, job security, work-life balance, and mental health support, which are some of the key issues that are being brought up again and again by our doctors," she said.

One critical issue Ainie addressed was the disparity between contract and permanent doctors.

Despite having the same responsibilities and workload, contract doctors face significant disadvantages.

"I am all for equal opportunities and benefits for all doctors. Contract doctors face significant disadvantages compared to their permanent counterparts, despite having the same responsibilities and workload.

“Permanent doctors enjoy better opportunities for career advancement, benefits and job security. Is that fair? All doctors must have equal access to career advancement opportunities, equitable salaries, and benefits," she said.

Therefore, Ainie called for the government to take swift and decisive action to rectify these disparities.

Ainie called for the government to take swift and decisive action to rectify these disparities.

"The government must walk the talk and must act proactively and swiftly. Let's not think that these are unimportant issues because if we fail to take this seriously, the situation will worsen and affect the country as a whole. We have seen it in other countries," she urged.

Earlier, Ainie voiced her concerns regarding the declining interest among SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) graduates in pursuing careers in the medical field.

Her remarks were made in response to a recent report by a news portal, citing a ‘toxic environment’ and a lack of career development as significant deterrents for aspiring doctors.