Health Ministry to hold town hall session with Hartal Doktor Kontrak group

SHAH ALAM - The Health Ministry will hold a town hall meeting with a group representing contract doctors working in public hospitals dubbed the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement on Feb 22.

Its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the discussion which was expected to take place for two hours starting from 4pm to 6pm will be held at the ministry's headquarters.

"The planning has been completed and with God's will the town hall session will be held with the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement.

"Those involved can register for the session. For the session with other healthcare sectors, the details will be looked at soon," she said in a tweet, today.

The announcement was made after repeated requests from the pressure group and other healthcare movements who wanted to meet her so that she could listen to the healthcare workers' grievance.

They were upset with the problems surrounding the healthcare system, especially the workforce and contract system.

However, it was reported that Dr Zaliha had advised workers in the public health sector to not begin a strike as it would not solve the problem.

Hartal Doktor Kontrak in a statement through Twitter said it was not involved in an unplanned strike Dr Zaliha had mentioned.

"We believe that a well-planned strike is the last resort. Our priority is the patients' health and safety,” it said.