The NHMS 2023 revealed that 2.3% of Malaysia’s population reported unmet health care needs. Of these, 12.9% cited treatment costs as the reason for unmet needs.
MMI backs introducing social health insurance with co-payment as an important step towards a sustainable health care system, but calls for a pilot study to assess public acceptance of such health financing reform and to increase feelings of accountability.
Health care workers in Malaysia deserve more than just words of appreciation; they deserve a system that supports and values them through fair compensation, reasonable working hours, and job security.
An MO claims a doctor from a public hospital was forced by superiors to remove a Facebook post on working back-to-back on-call shifts. "Gag orders only exacerbate the problem, preventing necessary reforms that can protect their health and improve patient care."
An ad hoc poll conducted by MMA Schomos last month among >100 respondents nationwide found that only 5% of public health care facilities had adequate manpower. Half of respondents attributed the manpower shortages to doctors' resignations or transfers.
In a letter to MOH's top bureaucrat, Dr Musa Mohd Nordin suggests that MOH learn from the paediatric fraternity on how to use AI and a Health Information System to resolve the maldistribution of doctors, citing also lessons from MNCs and aviation industry.
Ex-HRPB director Dr Megat Iskandar recalls often signing junior MOs' resignation letters, saying this is happening in hospitals nationwide. "If not resolved immediately, we will return to the 90s when there was a shortage of doctors in the government sector."
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.
Hartal Doktor Kontrak calls for a temporary suspension of permanent MO transfers for 3-6 months, while their junior replacements (floating MOs) get trained. Melaka state health exco Ngwe Hee Sem is set to meet Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa on July 20.
The omission of the entire state of Melaka from doctors’ permanent placements has created a staffing crisis impending by month end, MOs say. Melaka Hospital already halted iFOBT colorectal cancer screenings and now mulls slashing elective surgeries by 50%.