THE large-scale exodus of contract doctors from the country’s government hospitals is a serious concern for the healthcare sector, and Putrajaya must recognise the gravity of the situation and take immediate action to address the issue, said MCA.
Party vice president Datuk Lawrence Low said this issue is not one that has arisen overnight, as media reports had indicated that 3,046 doctors have left their positions in Malaysia over the past three years, while the number of medical students has also halved in the past six years.
He said this trend culminated in an increasing number of doctors leaving the government healthcare system.
“Inadequate welfare protection, poor working environment, uneven distribution of doctors, excessive workload, incomplete facilities and equipment, unfair salaries and treatments – all these factors have led to an unprecedented increase in medical personnel leaving the public service.
“The gradual outflow of medical personnel from government hospitals has already severely weakened Malaysia’s healthcare system. Unfortunately, the MOH and related agencies have still not addressed these issues a year later.”
To resolve the issue, Low said the MOH must conduct an in-depth review of the underlying issues leading to the mass exodus of doctors, adding that the shortage of manpower due to improper human resource planning has forced doctors to take on more work, leading to chronic fatigue and a decline in work efficiency.
“At its core, the mass exodus of contract doctors is linked to systemic issues within the overall public healthcare system,” he stated.
“To address the current crisis, the government must immediately take emergency measures. The MOH must work with relevant agencies to plan a more comprehensive and robust healthcare human resource management system while providing the necessary support to assist doctors in achieving their career goals.”
Low further noted that the MOH should also focus on improving the welfare and working environment for doctors to improve job satisfaction and loyalty.
“Only when the system is improved can we attract more graduates to join the healthcare industry, thereby fundamentally addressing the doctor shortage problem,” he opined.
“If the situation continues to worsen due to various issues, it will only weaken Malaysia’s healthcare system in the long run.
“When medical personnel are unable to provide better healthcare services due to low morale, the ones who will ultimately suffer are the general public.” – May 6, 2024
