Doctors Call to End 30-Hour On-Call Shifts
By Loshinniy Nair S. Baskaran,
16th October: Doctors in Malaysia are urging the government to stop the practice of 30-hour on-call shifts. Many healthcare professionals, especially junior doctors, feel these long hours harm both their health and patient safety. The extended shifts lead to extreme fatigue, increasing the risk of errors when treating patients. Doctors suggest reducing shifts to a maximum of 18 hours, allowing them to rest and provide better care.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is backing this call for change. They highlighted that the issue has been ongoing, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought more attention to the mental and physical toll on healthcare workers. Many countries have already limited working hours for doctors to improve overall performance and well-being. The MMA urges the Health Ministry to address this problem, ensuring that doctors work in safer conditions for the benefit of both the medical staff and their patients, as stated in The Star.
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