YOURSAY | ‘The problem is poor management and bad planning by Health Ministry.’
HKL letter warns of impending doctor shortage
Health Ministry denies HKL facing shortage of doctors
MarioT: It all boils down to bad management in the Health Ministry. Planning in the long term and anticipating shortcomings of policies that may be detrimental to the smooth operations of our vital health services and having contingencies in place, is of the utmost importance.
Healthcare becomes more demanding with Covid-19 and if our hospitals face shortages of medical staff, then one can expect less care and more casualties.
Hrrmph: Why can't the government hire more doctors? Oh, I forgot, there are all these extra ministers and special advisers appointed, everyone wants a new Mercedes, expensive watches and RM5,000 shirts.
Can someone enlighten why the government needs so many ministers and special advisers again? They seem to be doing nothing useful.
Our currency and share market are going down, cost of essential items going up, democratic institutions are being eroded, and crimes of corruption have gone unpunished.
The hospitals are amongst the very few working institutions. So, it must be destroyed, is it?
Appum: This is a reflection of Malaysia moving towards a failed state.
Having incompetent politicians as ministers, policies of discrimination, non-recognition of meritocracy, talent diarrhoea, poor leadership (where the most corrupt are still respected and venerated), and most of all, having incompetent heads of ministries incapable of planning.
This doctor shortage is a mystery. There are tons of medical schools in this country.
Slip Sliding Away: An exponential increase in the health budget is needed and make sure it is allocated to the right sectors - not for building white elephants.
Give top priority to healthcare providers – obviously, doctors are high on the list. Stop this nonsensical practice of giving only contract employment to doctors while arbitrarily appointing the select few as medical officers (MOs) on completion of housemanship.
Automatically offer them permanent positions as MOs unless they choose to be on contract. Stop giving excuses about how much it will cost. When there is a will, there is a way.
BrownMacaw6393: Indeed, we should increase our health expenditure to at least 5 percent of the GDP as recommended by the World Health Organization, even better 6-7 percent.
Currently, the government only spends 4 percent of the GDP on healthcare. Cut down our budget for wasteful megaprojects.
The Health Ministry need to come up with a proper and transparent career progression plan for young doctors.
They are leaving the system because they don’t see their future in public service due to multiple roadblocks in their progression to specialise in their chosen field of study.
If the Health Ministry continues in this direction, our healthcare system will collapse soon.
PurpleRabbit4431: It has been said that the government is not giving any permanent posts to new doctors because they are too many doctors around, so most will be on a contract basis.
How come the hospitals are now facing a shortage when these contract doctors decide to leave?
It is better for the government to terminate many of the unproductive ministers and deputy ministers, and save the money to offer permanent jobs to new doctors.
Ketuk Ketampi: To be frank, there is a shortage of medical personnel in the Health Ministry but the government is reluctant to carry the pension burden later on.
The government finds it fit to have a bloated cabinet with obscenely high salaries and GLC (government-linked company) heads with high allowances, but not to fortify our medical personnel.
Truly, they have the wrong priorities!
Clearmind7522: I am more concerned about the situation for the whole of Malaysia, not just Kuala Lumpur. Sarawak and Sabah, in particular.
The doctor shortage has become increasingly alarming. This is nothing short of an exodus of doctors. Public hospitals are losing a high number of new MOs, a trend never seen before as usually, it was the specialists who moved on to greener pastures.
The Health Ministry have to ensure better job conditions other than looking into the working environment, building better living facilities in rural areas, etc.
Nothing Without You: The shortage of doctors is not surprising. After all, the country is facing many shortages. Shortage of chicken; shortage of workforce; shortage of staple food, and those who are willing to work hard.
The only areas we have abundant supply are politicians and political frogs.
Aisyalam: This is planning, Malaysian-style.
Firstly, issue a warning on a pending known outcome. Then have a discussion among the “victims” to find a solution.
And you have the “head” and “tail” disconnected - one saying there are permanent vacancies and the other not offering any. And all these involve human lives.
It sounds like the hospital is no different from the cabinet.
The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.
These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
