KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Senator Dr Lingheshwaran R. Arunasalam has urged the Ministry of Health (MOH) to expedite permanent appointments for contract pharmacists, warning that delays are driving trained talent out of the public health system.
Citing a recent Dewan Negara reply, Dr Lingeshwaran said the latest figures show a significant attrition among reserve candidates for permanent posts.
As of December 31, 2025, a total of 352 reserve candidates for pharmacy officer positions were still awaiting offers of permanent appointment. However, 209 of them – about 60 per cent – are no longer serving in MOH, leaving only 143 still in service.
The senator described the trend as a serious “brain drain” of talent to the private sector, driven by uncertainty about career prospects in the public service.
“We cannot allow expertise that has been trained at great cost to simply be lost due to bureaucratic hurdles or delays in the appointment process,” Dr Lingeshwaran said in a statement today.
Dr Lingheshwaran warned that MOH risks losing even more skilled manpower if urgent steps are not taken to absorb the remaining 143 pharmacists into permanent positions, particularly as nearly 400 contract pharmacists are expected to complete their service in April 2026.
The senator said pharmacists play a strategic role in the health system beyond dispensing medicines, including ensuring medication safety, managing pharmaceutical stock efficiently, and providing clinical advisory services to patients and doctors.
“Their loss will affect the overall quality of public health care service delivery,” Dr Lingeshwaran said.
In a written Dewan Negara reply March 2, the Health Ministry said 352 reserve candidates for pharmacy officers had not yet received permanent appointment offers as of the end of last year.
Of that number, 143 remain in service with MOH, while 209 are no longer serving with the ministry.
MOH said it is currently implementing phased recruitment in collaboration with central agencies, and remains committed to filling pharmacy officer posts in facilities nationwide.
According to the ministry, workforce planning for MOH facilities is carried out through contract appointments, with permanent appointments made when vacancies arise.
Dr Lingheshwaran said the process must be accelerated to prevent further attrition.
“We cannot continue using a model of ‘waiting for vacancies before making appointments’ if it results in the loss of our best talent to the private sector,” he said.
Dr Lingeshwaran urged MOH to review its appointment process to make it more proactive and faster, and to provide clearer assurances about the future of the 143 pharmacists whose contracts are due to end in April 2026.
“It is our responsibility to ensure the welfare and career stability of our medical officers are safeguarded for the sustainability of the nation’s health care system,” he said.
