PETALING JAYA: A total of 13,072 doctor positions in the health ministry remained vacant as of June 30, comprising 1,660 specialist posts and 11,412 non-specialist positions, said health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Dzulkefly said 3,510 medical officers resigned between 2024 and 2026, comprising 1,252 permanent and 2,258 contract doctors.
Of those who resigned, 51.4% left for the private sector, while 36.8% cited personal reasons, and 4.5% joined statutory bodies.
Another 2.9% left to work or settle overseas, 2.6% resigned for health reasons, 1.5% pursued further studies, and 0.3% opened their own clinics.
He also said eight medical specialists had resigned or migrated overseas.
Dzulkefly said this in a written parliamentary reply to a question from V Ganabatirau (PH-Klang) on doctors resigning or migrating overseas, vacancies, specialist shortages, waiting times for housemanship placements, and the effectiveness of measures to retain doctors.
He said the ministry had appointed 14,064 permanent and 9,847 contract medical officers during the same period.
To address staffing shortages, he said, 4,500 contract doctors had been offered permanent appointments this year.
Dzulkefly said a task force established by the public services department in April was looking into staffing issues, while the ministry had been given greater authority to manage and distribute approved positions to speed up recruitment.
Waiting time at hospitals
Dzulkefly said six government hospitals had met a target of treating at least 70% of non-emergency patients within two hours, compared with the average waiting time of four to six hours previously.
In a written reply to Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Ind-Tanjong Karang), he said Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh recorded the highest rate with 98.61% of green zone patients treated within two hours.
This was followed by Ampang Hospital (88.78%), Selayang Hospital (74.1%), Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru (73.2%), Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang (72.2%) and Kuala Lumpur Hospital (71.8%).
He also highlighted a 9% reduction in patient attendance at six major hospitals following the extension of operating hours at selected government health clinics.
The clinics operate until 9pm on weekdays and from 8am to 1pm on weekends and public holidays.
The extended hours had helped divert patients with minor ailments from hospital emergency departments, he said.
Dzulkefly also said all eight initiatives under the special task force on agency reform to reduce hospital overcrowding had been fully implemented as of June.
Other measures include outsourcing treatment to private general practitioners, expanding digital screening for non-emergency patients before they visit clinics to 545 health clinics, and improving patient flow at government hospitals.