doctor shortage Archives

3 November 2025

Letter

Open Letter To Malaysians: Don’t Applaud Half-Delivered Promises In Health Care — A Very Tired Doctor

An MO questions the government’s 40% on-call allowance hike, saying it remains unimplemented and performative, not policy. The MO also warns that half-delivered promises are driving Malaysia’s doctor exodus.

8 October 2025

Letter

Sarawak’s 293 Doctor No-Shows Aren’t A Posting Problem — Medical Officer

An MO says the failure of 293 MOs to report for duty in Sarawak isn't a posting problem, but the system finally exposing itself. Sarawak should provide doctors state incentives and support, separate from federal. MOH's one-size-fits-all model doesn't work.

3 January 2025

Malaysia

Malaysia Won’t Adopt American DRG Model ‘Wholesale’: Minister

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says Malaysia won't adopt the American DRG model "wholesale", but introduce a "customised hybrid" version for private hospitals. In his New Year's address to MOH staff, Dr Dzul also touched on the acute shortage of doctors.

24 December 2024

Letter

Malaysia’s Doctor Shortage: Causes And Solutions: Part 1 — Dr Sean Thum

Dr Sean Thum says Malaysia went from a glut of doctors in 2016 to a shortage in under a decade. "The country now faces a potential shortage of medical professionals due to declining interest in medical education & increasing brain drain to other nations."

20 December 2024

Malaysia

MOH Denies Seri Manjung Hospital Doctors Overworked, Understaffed

The Perak state health department maintains that Seri Manjung Hospital's medical department is not overworked or understaffed, saying MOs do active on-calls 4-5x a month and passive calls 2-3x a month. On average, each MO sees 3-4 patients at any one time.

14 August 2024

Malaysia

Temerloh Hospital’s Medical Inpatient Admissions Surged 86% Last Year

Inpatient admissions at the medical unit in HOSHAS in Temerloh, Pahang, jumped 86% to over 16,000 in 2023 from over 8,600 in 2022, as the hospital struggles with a doctors' shortage. Inpatient deaths nearly doubled to 1,488 from 758 in the same period.

13 August 2024

Letter

Double Burden Of MO And HO Jobs — Northern District Hospital Medical Officer

A doctor from a district hospital in the Northern region says medical officers in district hospitals have to cover double job scopes as MO and HO, with the channelling of housemen to state hospitals. Nurses should help with night and weekend blood-taking.

16 May 2024

Letter

A Vicious Cycle: Manpower Shortage Causing Mass Doctor Resignations — Ampang Hospital Specialist

An Ampang Hospital specialist says over 20 medical officers have quit so far since s/he joined the medical department last year. The main issue driving doctor resignations is manpower shortage, including lack of housemen, forcing MOs to play double roles.

6 February 2024

Letter

Health Care Settings Won’t Collapse Without Sufficient Housemen — Ministry Of Health Malaysia

MOH anticipates recovery in housemen numbers as medical school training is no longer disrupted, adding that MOs and specialists are responsible for medical care. "The notion that health care settings would collapse without sufficient HOs is unfounded."

31 January 2024

Letter

Attempts To Dismantle MOH’s Parallel Pathway Programme Will Worsen Brain Drain — MMA

Attempts by certain groups to dismantle MOH's parallel pathway programme represent a backward step, will exacerbate brain drain and deepen existing low morale among health care professionals. As it stands, Malaysia is short of specialists across the board.

Tag: doctor shortage

Open Letter To Malaysians: Don’t Applaud Half-Delivered Promises In Health Care — A Very Tired Doctor

Sarawak’s 293 Doctor No-Shows Aren’t A Posting Problem — Medical Officer

Malaysia’s Doctor Shortage: Causes And Solutions: Part 1 — Dr Sean Thum

MOH Denies Seri Manjung Hospital Doctors Overworked, Understaffed

Temerloh Hospital’s Medical Inpatient Admissions Surged 86% Last Year

Double Burden Of MO And HO Jobs — Northern District Hospital Medical Officer

A Vicious Cycle: Manpower Shortage Causing Mass Doctor Resignations — Ampang Hospital Specialist

Health Care Settings Won’t Collapse Without Sufficient Housemen — Ministry Of Health Malaysia

Attempts To Dismantle MOH’s Parallel Pathway Programme Will Worsen Brain Drain — MMA

Bleak Future For Malaysia’s Health Assurance Industry — Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan

Nutritionists: Follow Malaysia’s Scientific Food Pyramid, Not US Inverted Pyramid

CodeBlue’s View: Doctors Must Follow The Law. Period.

Transfer Allowance Opened To Contract Doctors, Pharmacists, Dentists With 2025 Permanent Appointments: Minister

Digital Ministry Opens RM87m Tender For MySejahtera App Maintenance Over Three Years