MOH Moving Beyond 'Stop-Gap' Measures To Address Workforce Constraints - Dzulkefly

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry (MOH) has acknowledged persistent human resource constraints in public healthcare facilities and pledged comprehensive structural reforms to address longstanding workforce challenges nationwide.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said MOH had taken note of ongoing public discourse regarding staffing shortages and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the national healthcare system.

He outlined two key structural challenges currently affecting the public health services: supply shortage and uneven distribution.

"To effectively tackle this issue, the MOH is moving beyond 'stop-gap’ measures and towards comprehensive structural reforms," he said in his post on X today.

Dzulkefly said among the reforms outlined are the phased abolition of the contract system for medical officers (MOs), mandatory mobilisation to ensure fairer workforce distribution, streamlining of house officer (HO) training for faster integration into service and measures to enhance the welfare of healthcare workers.

"I welcome healthy debate on this subject. Constructive feedback is crucial to enhancing our public healthcare system and delivery, and to meeting the unmet expectations of the people," he said.

The MOH said in a statement yesterday that the human resource situation reflected the inherited structural challenges and long-standing maldistribution of staff nationwide.

It added that the declining number of medical graduates entering the workforce has triggered a chain reaction affecting staffing levels at public healthcare facilities.

According to the MOH, the national staffing rate at 48 Graduate Training Hospitals (HLS) nationwide stood at 53 per cent as of February 2026, with only 6,500 of the 12,198 slots filled.

The MOH said the situation is expected to be even more critical for the 2026 appointments. Although all 579 applicants were appointed, it only covered about 10 per cent of national vacancies.

The MOH added that the declining number of filled Graduate Medical Officer (PPS) slots had directly impacted the system's ability to provide an adequate workforce.

However, the MOH reiterated that the fundamental principle of PPS training, in line with the Health director-general's circular dated July 25, 2025, is to ensure placements complete clinical competencies through structured training.

 -- BERNAMA