Doctor in the House: #HartalDoktorKontrak – The Ethics of Striking During A Pandemic

On 26 July, a group of junior contract doctors in Malaysia are planning to strike as a sign of protest, until their demands for permanent positions and clear criteria for the permanent appointments are met. Response to this movement has been divided, so we check in with pharmacist and public health researcher Dr Mark Cheong, and co-founder of Malaysian Philosophy Society Dr Tee Chen Giap, to find out what are the ethical considerations of healthcare workers going on strike at the peak of a pandemic, and more fundamentally, what are the issues to be considered in upholding the rights and responsibilities of healthcare workers.

Image source: Shutterstock