Sarawak needs better healthcare incentives

KUCHING: Sarawak’s healthcare workforce needs stronger incentives and career support, said the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).

MMA president Dr Sivanaesan Letchumanan said the government must ensure Budget 2027 adequately addressed manpower shortages in Sarawak and Sabah, warning that permanent appointments alone would not resolve the challenges facing public healthcare services.

While welcoming the government’s commitment to offer permanent positions to more than 9,000 contract doctors in 2027, he stressed that greater emphasis must be placed on retaining experienced doctors and addressing the country’s critical shortage of specialists.

In its Budget 2027 reaction comment yesterday, MMA also called for the reinstatement of the previous percentage-based Regional Incentive Payment (BIW) to improve the attractiveness of serving in underserved areas.

The association said sufficient funding was needed to provide better incentives, working conditions and career development opportunities for healthcare personnel in East Malaysia.

It also welcomed the increase in the Flying Doctor Service incentive but maintained that the revised amount remained inadequate given the demanding conditions and safety risks faced by medical personnel serving remote communities.

Dr Sivanaesan urged the government to review the incentive further and prioritise operational safety, aircraft maintenance and personnel protection.

The Flying Doctor Service plays an important role in extending medical care to communities in remote areas where access to healthcare facilities can be difficult.

MMA said healthcare personnel serving these communities deserved compensation that reflected the challenges and risks associated with their duties.

Beyond regional healthcare needs, the association welcomed the increase in the Health Ministry’s allocation to RM47.7 billion in Budget 2027, from RM46.5 billion in 2026.

However, it said more substantial commitments were needed to strengthen workforce retention and expand specialist training opportunities.

Malaysia faces a shortage of nearly 11,000 specialists, with demand for specialist care expected to rise alongside the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and an ageing population.

MMA stressed that investment in specialist and subspecialist training, fair remuneration, career progression and improved working conditions were essential to prevent more experienced doctors from leaving the public service.

It also noted that the RM1.2 billion allocation for hospital and clinic maintenance remained unchanged from 2026, despite ageing facilities and mounting maintenance needs.

The association called for stronger primary healthcare services, including greater involvement of private general practitioners in disease prevention, early detection and long-term management, to ease pressure on hospitals and specialist services.

MMA further proposed a national healthcare workforce distribution dashboard to improve transparency on staffing levels and shortages at individual public hospitals and clinics.

Dr Sivanaesan said Budget 2027’s success should ultimately be measured by improvements in patient care, waiting times, workforce retention and access to healthcare.

He said healthcare investment must keep pace with the growing demands of an ageing population and the increasing burden of diseases while reiterating MMA’s commitment to working with the government to strengthen the national healthcare system.