
Do you all still remember the horror of the COVID-19 pandemic? During the initial phase of this deadly virus, all our healthcare workers worked day and night to serve the nation. While everyone else could stay at home finding various activities to kill time, we were wearing personal protective equipment, treating COVID patients, supporting them, and simultaneously risking ourselves and our precious families as we could bring the virus back home. We worked days and nights, suffering from mental and physical stress.
Do you know how much the government paid us? A RM600 incentive per month for fighting this deadly virus. How much did we healthcare workers sacrifice? I believe if you're not a healthcare worker, you surely can't imagine. Try experiencing wearing PPE for over 12 hours, donning and doffing multiple times per day, using countless alcohol rubs and chlorhexidine baths to prevent virus transmission, and seeing patients gasping for air. So many junior doctors, senior doctors, specialists, and healthcare workers fought for this country to prevent the collapse of the healthcare system.
And after? Our welfare wasn't taken care of, and our efforts weren't appreciated.
You might say being a doctor is a noble job, and we shouldn't talk about money. Hello brothers and sisters, we are not cheap laborers. I've seen many Facebook posts about our hourly salary for on-call claims.
Starting with the basic salary, the increment is minimal compared to our changing world. Even the basic minimum wage has increased from RM1,200 to RM1,500 and to RM1,700 this year. How much was the salary increment for healthcare workers? Only 7-15% in a decade. We are severely underpaid and overworked.
For on-call claims? They proudly declared an increase from RM55 to RM65. If you calculate properly, RM265 (24-hour call claim) is equivalent to RM11/hour. Indeed, cheap labor.
Things remain the same even when you become a specialist. No wonder so many specialists and medical officers decide to leave the government sector. There's always a reason for it.
We don't receive any year-end bonus either. Other companies pay their employees 1-2 months' salary for their contribution. How about us? RM500, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Funny, isn't it? We work harder but are paid less. Sounds like cheap labor again.
Do I see a future in this career if I continue to serve the government? I'm not sure.
Since my housemanship, I've wished to serve this country. I put Sarawak and Sabah as choices for my Medical Officer posting. I even applied for the pension scheme instead of KWSP as I always thought I would stay in KKM to serve the nation. But reality hit me hard. As you grow older, you see clearer. KKM just abuses you and leaves you with nothing. Please differentiate doctors' jobs from other government staff. We don't work 8-to-5 shifts. We have no lunch breaks. We work weekend on-calls. Overtime can extend to 10 PM.
I wish the government would think critically. Please don't treat healthcare workers as cheap laborers. There are many offers outside for nurses and doctors. That's why so many medical officers and specialists quit KKM for better career prospects. Besides higher salaries, they can have better work-life balance. If KKM cannot provide work-life balance, you should provide better salaries to these poor KKM staff. If not, no one will continue to stay in KKM service after the older generation leaves. The new generation won't stay in this toxic field. More and more workload will fall on those who stay, and it won't last long, eventually leading to the whole system's collapse.
Even after 10 years of working for KKM, I still get thrown around (as do other MOs/specialists). How am I going to settle down with my family? I don't even dare to buy a house or apartment as we can be posted anywhere. I have stayed in JB for 4years, now I am thrown to Muar and then batu pahat. My friend just bought a house in KL and was transferred to Melaka - what can he do about his family and house? We're not rich enough to pay for both rental and installments. We are just cheap laborers. Does KKM care? They do not! Service comes first? Healthcare workers welfare second.
How long we can apply to transfer back? at least 2years and provided empty slot avaiable.
And if you don't have a supportive spouse, I guarantee we get divorced easily.
I'm lost.....
Best wishes, KKM.
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