Reforms, not patriotism, the key issue in retaining doctors, govt told

Ex-MMA chief Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz points to structural gaps in career pathways, pay, and working conditions.

Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said Malaysian doctors had long shown their commitment to serving the people, often under difficult conditions, and that the issue was not a lack of patriotism.

“It is fundamentally about whether our systems, policies, and career structures are sufficiently robust, fair, and sustainable to retain this highly trained workforce,” she said in a statement.

Azizan said the bigger concerns were the systemic weaknesses in the system, including uncertain contract pathways, inadequate and mismatched remuneration, lack of transparency in career progression, and workplace pressures affecting morale and wellbeing.

“These are systemic challenges that require systemic solutions,” she added.

She was responding to public services director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz’s suggestion that a stronger sense of nationalism could help curb the outflow of doctors from the public healthcare system.

Wan Ahmad Dahlan said that fostering a “spirit of serving the nation” could help address the issue, after health ministry data showed that 529 medical graduates filled just 10% of 5,000 housemanship positions offered in January.

He also said service bonds for government-sponsored medical students was one possible retention mechanism, adding that efforts were under way to improve doctors’ working conditions and welfare.

Azizan said reforms should focus on strengthening workforce planning, improving transparency and meritocracy in promotions, reviewing remuneration, enhancing working conditions, and engaging doctors in policymaking.

“If we address these fundamentals, we will not only retain our doctors – we may also see many returning to serve,” she said.

Medical brain drain has been a long-standing topic of discussion which the health ministry has sought to address through expedited appointments to permanent posts and reviews of on-call allowances, among others.

Last week, Sabah health minister Julita Majungki said the Bornean state was facing a shortfall of about 6,000 doctors, with only 2,884 currently in service compared with an estimated need of 9,000.

Sarawak’s seven public hospitals meanwhile lack about 11,000 healthcare workers, including more than 1,100 medical officers, according to state health minister Dr Sim Kui Hian.