Doctors Strike During COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

Jazlan Jamaluddin,Nurul Nadia Baharum,Mohd Azzahi Mohamed Kamel,Siti Nuradliah Jamil

doi:10.52214/vib.v7i.8586

Abstract

Doctors Strike During COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

Highlights

BACKGROUNDhealth care workers (HCWs) strikes have arisen mostly over wages, work hours, and administrative and financial factors.[4] In 2012, the British Medical Association organized a single “day of action” by boycotting non-urgent care as a response to government pension reforms.[5] In Ireland, doctors went on strike for a day in 2013 to protest the austerity measures implemented by the EU in response to the global economic crisis
Over the past decade, health care workers (HCWs) strikes have arisen mostly over wages, work hours, and administrative and financial factors.[4]
Only one hospital continued providing services to a population of 5.5 million people. Even though their data is incomplete, authors from this study found that the number of emergency room visits decreased during the strike, but the risks of mortality in the hospital for these patients increased by 67 percent.[29]

Summary

BACKGROUND

HCW strikes have arisen mostly over wages, work hours, and administrative and financial factors.[4] In 2012, the British Medical Association organized a single “day of action” by boycotting non-urgent care as a response to government pension reforms.[5] In Ireland, doctors went on strike for a day in 2013 to protest the austerity measures implemented by the EU in response to the global economic crisis It involved a dispute over long working hours (100 hours per week) which violated EU employment laws and more importantly put patients’ lives at risk.[6] The strike resulted in the cancellation of 15,000 hospital appointments, but emergencies services were continued. As each national health system operates within a different setting, these strikes should be examined in detail to understand the degree of self-interest involved versus concerns for patient’s welfare

The Malaysia Strike

Right to strike

Effects of a Strike on Health Care

Findings

CONCLUSION