Bung Moktar
KOTA KINABALU: The federal government should consider absorbing contract doctors into permanent service.
Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin in making the suggestion, opined that if the government has the provision, it is not wrong to appoint health workers and doctors to permanent posts based on their qualifications and ability to carry out their duties as a medical officer.
“The issue (here) is that contract doctors are applying to be absorbed into a permanent position (so) if it does not burden the government, just do it (appoint to a permanent position),” he said when interrupting the speech of Arau Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim during the debate session at the special parliamentarymeeting on Wednesday.
Bung Moktar who is also Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, stressed that there is a need to increase the number of doctors in the country, especially in Sabah, during this trying time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In this difficult situation, we need more doctors to be in the frontline to help and treat patients, especially as the Covid-19 situation is getting worse at the moment,” he said.
Bung Moktar also said that if the government cannot appoint the doctors and health workers on a permanent basis, then it should consider appointing them on contract basis but on a four-year term instead of a two-year contract to enable them to undergo a specialist test.
According to him, the issue of the health system’s capability and the readiness of frontline workers in facing this pandemic need to be resolved immediately.
The government, he stressed, must give priority to resolving this issue as health workers, including contract workers, have to bear a heavy burden following the increase in Covid-19 cases in the country at this time.
During the debate, Bung Moktar who is also Sabah Works Minister, had the opportunity to submit a proposal to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba to supply a boat for the use of the health clinic in Pulau Banggi, Kudat.
He said the Banggi Health Clinic was located on an island and the boat was needed in case of emergencies like transporting the sick and expectant mothers for further treatment to the nearest hospital.
“I hope the honorable Minister of Health can give consideration to supply a boat for the use of the Pulau Banggi Health Clinic,” he said.