Ministry bid to prevent the exodus of medical specialists
Published on: Tuesday, October 06, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: The Health Ministry will revise the contract agreement with specialists to curb a brain drain involving doctors leaving for the private sector. Deputy Health Minister Dato Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said they will compare the terms of agreement with other countries and intend to add on to their years of services.According to him, there is a shortage of medical specialists working in the government sector as most would opt to work in the private sectors due to higher income.He named a few medical experts which the government sector is currently lacking such as cardiologists, anaesthesiology specialists and others. ADVERTISEMENT
At present, specialists, he said, acquired the option to either serve in the government sector for five to seven years or to pay back the government the amount spent throughout their years of studies. "Based on the reports we received from the respective head of sectors, there are a lot of specialists who have quit the government sector."After being trained under government sponsorship for years, they (specialists) decide to quit the Government sector because of the high offer by private sector."The income offered in private sector is ten times higher compared to the government sector, therefore, doctors can afford to settle their contracts," he said, adding that the contract is usually worth between RM150,000 and RM170, 000 but the amount would be higher if the doctors were trained overseas. Dr Hilmi hoped all trained specialists will serve in the government sector to fulfil the needs of the rakyat. ADVERTISEMENT
He said this after the Ministry of Health Training Institutes Convocation Ceremony at the Klagan Grand Ballroom, 1Borneo here, Monday. A total of 1, 000 slots were offered to students who wished to pursue their Masters degree in medicine and 154 slots for super specialists.However, he said only a total of 916 students had applied to pursue their Masters.
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Earlier, Dr Hilmi said an average of 9, 000 to 10, 000 paramedics were produced by all 33 training institutes throughout Malaysia every year. He advised the graduates to continue to pursue their studies and specialise in their respective fields to ensure their marketability in future. "Malaysia is a developing nation. We do not want to export house maids. Instead, we want to export specialists globally. We want them to be able to work overseas and their quality will be seen by other nations," he said, adding that however, it is only strictly for those who have retired. "There is a high demand for medical expertise in Middle East. However, we are not able to provide for them due to our own shortage," he added. A total of 3, 249 graduates from Sabah, Sarawak and peninsula are expected to receive their certificates from Oct. 5 to 7.Dr Hilmi advised the graduates to practise hospitality and have good relations with their patients."We do not want to hear reports of misconduct among our staff. Take good care of the Ministry's as well as the government's image," he added. Meanwhile, Academic Excellence Award recipient Chung Cai Cian, 23, from Kuching expressed her pride in receiving the award."I am very grateful and would like to thank my parents, peers and lecturers who had supported me throughout my journey as a student," she said.Co-curriculum Excellence Award recipient Rozita Simis, 25, who hails from Ranau said she did not expect to receive the award."I plan to further my studies and hope to be a lecturer," she said, adding she had always wanted to be a nurse since young.In another development, Dr Hilmi urged the people to reduce their outdoor activities due to the haze which is currently afflicting the country. "Reports have stated an increase of haze-related diseases such as respiratory problems like asthma, flu, conjunctivitis and itching of skin … for example, three clinics in Penang reported an increase of 50 per cent in haze-related diseases." "The health effects are more prominent in high risk groups such as senior citizens, patients with respiratory diseases and children," he said, adding that the Ministry would distribute face masks to these targeted groups. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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