MMA urges action to stem doctor, specialist exodus

KUCHING: Malaysia must make the retention of doctors and specialists a key priority in Budget 2027 as growing workforce shortages place increasing pressure on the public healthcare system.

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) warned that the system is losing experienced medical professionals faster than they can be replaced, raising concerns over its ability to meet growing healthcare demands.

MMA president Dr Sivanaesan Letchumanan said in a statement yesterday (Sept 25) that urgent reforms were needed to stem the loss of healthcare professionals and safeguard timely access to quality patient care.

Between 2019 and 2023, a total of 3,494 doctors resigned from the Ministry of Health (MOH), including 2,385 permanent medical officers and 1,109 specialists, with specialist resignations rose by 57 per cent during the period.

The association also highlighted a nationwide shortage of nearly 11,000 specialists, while nursing vacancies stand at approximately 18 per cent. It added that only 529 housemanship positions offered in January 2026 were filled.

According to data presented by the Public Service Department to Parliament’s Health Special Select Committee, MOH vacancies surged from 10,419 in 2017 to 54,362 in 2024, while the staffing fill rate fell from 96 per cent to 83 per cent.

Dr Sivanaesan said every unfilled post added pressure on an already overstretched workforce, while the departure of experienced specialists also meant losing valuable clinical expertise and the ability to train future generations of doctors.

To reverse the trend, MMA called for sufficient funding to support the government’s plan to abolish the contract system and offer eligible house officers permanent appointments upon completing housemanship by 2028. It also urged recognition of previous contract service for seniority and salary progression.

The association further proposed a transparent, merit-based promotion pathway allowing experienced specialists to progress to higher grades after at least five years of satisfactory service, with promotions based on 80 per cent objective criteria and 20 per cent structured professional assessment.

Among other Budget 2027 proposals are specialist allowances from the date of gazettement, fairer on-call rates, adequate training reserve posts, continued hardship allowances for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, and working arrangements that protect doctors’ rest after continuous 24-hour shifts.

“Budget 2027 should not be judged only by the size of the health allocation, but by whether it keeps doctors and healthcare professionals in the system,” the statement said.