Malaysia’s Public Healthcare System Loses Doctors For The First Time In A Decade
Public Sector Doctor Numbers Decline For The First Time In 10 Years
Malaysia’s public healthcare system has recorded its first decline in the number of doctors in a decade. According to the Ministry of Health’s Health Facts 2024, cited by CodeBlue, the number of doctors under the ministry fell by 2.7% in 2024. A total of 1,444 doctors left the public healthcare system, reducing the workforce from 53,512 doctors in 2023 to 52,068 in 2024. The figures come despite the government announcing thousands of permanent appointments for contract medical officers in recent years.
Permanent Positions Are Not Always Being Filled
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad recently announced that 4,500 contract medical officers had been absorbed into permanent positions this year, with more than 18,500 permanent appointments offered since 2023. However, offering permanent positions does not necessarily mean they are accepted. In 2023, 1,118 medical officers, representing around 20% of those offered permanent posts, declined the appointments or failed to report for duty. The situation was particularly significant in Sarawak, where 43% of successful applicants did not report for work. In Sabah, the Deputy Health Minister said the no-show rate could reach as high as 50% this year. Meanwhile, 1,315 senior medical officers and specialists left the ministry in 2024, while the private healthcare sector added 4,648 doctors during the same period.
Fewer Housemen Raise Long-Term Concerns
The challenges extend beyond retaining experienced doctors. Malaysia is also seeing a sharp decline in the number of new doctors entering the public healthcare system. The number of house officers dropped by 51%, from a peak of 13,136 in 2020 to just 6,406 in 2024. More recently, only 529 medical graduates reported for duty despite 5,000 housemanship positions being offered nationwide in January. With experienced doctors leaving while fewer young doctors enter the system, concerns are growing over the long-term sustainability of Malaysia’s public healthcare services, as several government hospitals have already reported disruptions to medical services in recent months.
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Source : Berita Harian
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