Microsoft Word - IJHHS IMAM 23rd ASC 2022


  
 

 S15

3. NGO Efforts and Their Role in the Junior Doctor Plight  
Aneesa Abdul Rashid1,2  
  
Over the years, we are faced with many issues surrounding junior doctors, as they make their way into 
the professional working platform. To address this matter, many non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs) have been actively involved to improve the welfare of the fraternity.  Among one of the earliest 
and ongoing concerns frequently brought up is the House Officers (HO) wellbeing, which is said to be 
associated with high levels of stress leading to mental health problems, and sometimes leaving the 
medical profession altogether. In Malaysia, the number of HOs not completing training within the 
allocated time is slowly declining with dropout rates increasing yearly. This causes a lot of constraints 
on the HO, their family, sponsors, patients, and not to mention our healthcare system. There are many 
identified reasons for this matter, therefore, the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (IMAM)’s 
HO preparatory course was one of the pioneer courses organised to address this since its 
commencement in 2010. This module is frequently re-evaluated, and IMAM has actively pursued 
research on its effectiveness. Next, is the road crash injury among doctors in which IMAM has been 
involved in addressing this matter by actively seeking dialogues with stakeholders, organising 
campaigns, workshops and obtaining grants for research in the matter. IMAM on its own or in 
collaboration has consistently backed efforts to improve wellbeing of the healthcare fraternity. Other 
efforts include issuing press statements on concerns of unfair treatment of the contract doctors, 
addressing importance of mental state of doctors during the COVID 19 pandemic and reminding on the 
dangerous consequences of sleep deprived doctors. The NGO’s role, specifically in IMAM, apart from 
serving the community is also to be a voice for its members and associates for our overall safety, 
wellbeing, and the community we serve.  
 
Keywords: Non-governmental Organisation, research, junior doctor, house officer  
 

1.      Department of Family medicine, Faculty of medicine & health sciences, Universiti Putra 
Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Malaysia  

2.      Head of IMAM Research, Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia, No 1, 2, Jalan SP1, 
Selayang Point, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor  

 

 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

Correspondence to: Aneesa Abdul Rashid, Associate Professor and medical lecturer, Department of 
Family medicine, Faculty of medicine & health sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, 
Malaysia. aneesa@upm.edu.my  

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

 

  

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31344/ijhhs.v7i70.517