KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 – Malaysia plans to have one doctor per 500 population by 2020, still falling short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard of one doctor per 400 population.
According to the Health Ministry’s Budget 2020, Malaysia recorded one doctor per 554 people in 2018, including housemen.
The country is expected to have one doctor per 530 people this year, and to further expand in 2020 to one doctor per 500 people, including housemen.
WHO’s target for a middle-income economy is one doctor per 400 population.
In July, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad reportedly said that the Health Ministry will focus on producing quality doctors, rather than a greater quantity, with focus on producing specialised doctors.
“As Health Minister, it is my view that quality and specialisation of doctors are more important than the quantity of doctors.
“Thus, the ministry will focus on continuous medical education for our medical officers to specialise in areas deemed of national importance,” he reportedly said.
Meanwhile, under the Health Ministry’s Budget 2020, the number of nurses in Malaysia is expected to reach one nurse per 230 population, whereas the number of health clinics is expected to be at one per 27,966 population by 2020.
Hospital beds are expected to be at one per 476 population by next year.
