Recruitment of doctors doesn't depend on health ministry alone, says minister

The health ministry today said that discussions must be held with other government agencies before any decision on the opening of new posts, as part of efforts to tackle the shortage of healthcare workers and ease congestion at public hospitals.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said talks would continue with bodies such as the Public Services Department and finance ministry before new recruitments are made. 

"The health ministry would like to take in every doctor, but if there are no posts and we have no funds, we cannot do this.

"I ask for this matter to be considered," she said in response to a supplementary question from Dr Kelvin Yii (DAP-Bandar Kuching) at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today. 

Yii had asked about the government's initiatives to address the shortage of personnel at public hospitals. 

The government had also been faced with demands from contract doctors throughout the country who asked to be absorbed as permanent staff. 

Zalina, when answering Yii's initial question, laid out seven initiatives to reduce the congestion at government hospitals, including internal audits and digitalisation of the bed management unit. 

She said the government was also working with the private sector for outsourcing purposes. 

"The waiting time for medical and non-medical procedures can be reduced along with the length of stay and bed occupancy rate, facilitating the flow of patients," she said. 

She said the crowds were due in part to a rise in non-infectious diseases and the resulting complications in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.