I AM saddened that Narinder Pal Singh of Shah Alam (”Final option for all unhappy doctors” — NST, May 26) has chosen a very narrow and naive approach and perspective in addressing the issue of overworked officers.

I agree with the writer that nobody is forced to do medicine at gunpoint by the government. However, a government that espouses the policy of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” and “Towards a caring and just society” , must surely subscribe to the fundamental principles of fairness and equitability in dealing with its employees and the public at large.

It is certainly not about “whine and complaint” but about compensating your employees equitably, commensurate with the tremendous stress and sacrifices they face in work. You cannot keep complaining of being critically short of doctors when you are oblivious to their grouses and keep sweeping their needs under the carpet. You cannot blame doctors for leaving government service for the private sector or for going abroad if you do not care about their well-being and welfare.

The minister of health had, in March last year, announced that all housemen who completed their two-year internship would be placed in the higher grade of UD44 with salaries and allowances amounting to RM6,000 per month.

This was due to the government having extended the housemanship period from the previous one year to two years effective January last year, but they refused to reduce the mandatory three-year compulsory service to two years that every doctor has to serve after completing the two-year internship.

Nobody forced the minister to make the announcement. But once the announcement has been made, it must be honoured.

If students and doctors were to pay heed to the writer’s simplistic solution that “those who are not happy with their careers should leave this profession”, the country will forever be short of doctors.

Instead of encouraging them to continue with their sacrifices and be patient, the writer is asking them to ignore our national needs and shun the medical profession.

I urge the Health Ministry and the Public Service Department to conduct an honest job evaluation and undertake a root-cause analysis of the issues affecting our housemen and doctors in government service with utmost urgency.

DR T.B.J., George Town

Source: NST – May 29, 2009