‘Nothing going on here’: Care as usual at HKL, Serdang Hospital despite of supposed strike
KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Despite a call for contract doctors to not show up for work today as a form of strike, Malay Mail found no signs of disruption at two medical facilities that purportedly would be affected by the action.
The hospitals, Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and Serdang Hospital, did not appear to have more patients waiting than usual, nor did there seem to be a lack of medical staff as a result of the walkout — named Mogok Doktor Malaysia, or “Malaysian Doctors on Strike”
Cindy Wong, 29, whose father was brought to the HKL emergency department today after experiencing heart and kidney issues, said that it was like any other day at the hospital.
“I can say I am a regular here because my father was warded here before, during Chinese New Year.
“From my observations, it is normal to see some days where there is a long queue at the triage and some days not.
“I was here from noon until now, and today, it is like an average day,” she said to Malay Mail at approximately 4pm.
Meanwhile, a patient, Sharifah Aminah, 27, said she had sought treatment at the emergency department at 2.30pm after feeling feverish, and was discharged two hours later, after consulting a doctor and receiving her medicine.
“It was like time spent at a normal government hospital for the whole process,” she said.
An auxiliary police officer here, who requested to be known as Ash, said that although the hospital had received more patients in the morning — compared to around 3pm when Malay Mail visited — they were handled in usual fashion.
“It was normal, it was mostly seniors. Then, it was OK, after the morning.
A view of the emergency department of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital during the contract doctors’ strike April 3, 2023. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
“HKL’s emergency department is the biggest and the busiest in Malaysia and I think some of the contract medical officers here were inside and helping each other out.
“So the strike did not affect us that much today. But let’s see, there is two more days to go,” he said.
To note, the strike is supposed to last until April 5.
Over at Serdang Hospital, a man, who called himself Khairil, said that his friend was admitted immediately to the emergency department today, after experiencing partial paralysis to the right side of his body.
“We came in the morning. He was admitted. After that, we had to wait a few hours for some test results, but I think this is normal,” he said.
Similarly, a security guard, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that he had not noticed fewer doctors or more crowds than usual.
“There is nothing going on here. Don’t believe everything you read on social media,” he said.
Last week, Mogok Doktor Malaysia, which has been getting its message out largely through social media, said 8,000 contract doctors were not expected to attend work starting today, and that this would severely affect certain hospitals’ emergency departments and labour rooms.
The hospitals named were HKL, Serdang Hospital, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Baru, Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar, Melaka Hospital, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in Ipoh, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah in Alor Setar, Penang General Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
A view of the emergency department of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital during the contract doctors’ strike April 3, 2023. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
