Published on: Sunday, September 14, 2003 |
Health Director-General, Datuk Dr Mohamad Taha Arif said normally, the ministry will not allow people to go and work outside the country, not to the Governments knowledge, and then come back and re-join the service.
We dont allow such practice unless they go on a no pay leave basis for whatever reason, or they take optional retirement if they have two or three more years to go before calling it a day, he told Daily Express Saturday.
Earlier, he presented a paper at the inaugural International Nursing Conference held for the first time in Malaysia.
It was jointly organised by the Sabah Nurses Association (Sana) and State Health Department.
Taha was asked to comment on the brain drain of Malaysian nurses to Saudi Arabia where there are greener pastures.
He explained that these nurses are from the older generation, especially those who have just retired or are about to retire from government service, in the hope of earning extra income.
However, this does not happen to the younger generation of nurses in the country, he said.
Asked whether the recruitment agency is local, Taha said he was not sure but the people who work with the agency are locals.
He mentioned the name of a former matron of Malaysia who is associated with one of the agents, adding there can be other agencies which I do not know.
According to him, the agencies will look at nurses curriculum vitae to make sure the prospective recruits are really fit to serve in Saudi Arabia in terms of knowledge and training, and ability to work with overseas people.
On the recruitment of foreign doctors to solve the acute shortage of doctors in the country, Taha said the Government has been getting contract doctors for a long time already although the number varies from time to time.
This is only a short-term measure to fill up the gap. Once we have enough local graduates, then there is no need to have these foreign doctors.
According to him, about 500 to 600 of the 1,149 vacant posts for doctors have yet to be filled as 400 to 500 foreign doctors have already reported for work.
Taha clarified that these foreign doctors are screened accordingly to ensure they are graduates from recognised universities.
First of all, they have to apply through the Malaysian embassy which advertises the vacancies in India, Bangladesh or Pakistan. Before the interview, their qualification papers are scrutinised to check whether the university concerned is recognised by Malaysia.
Applicants from recognised universities are short-listed and interviewed, depending on their experience. They are interviewed by the Public Services Commission (SPA) together with officials from the Ministry of Health.
However, if the university is not recognised, then we dont even bother to interview them, he explained.
Taha said the contract period is two years, subject to renewal, but if the foreign doctors dont perform within the first six months, action will be taken to terminate their service.
We have done that...if theyre no good, what is the use of engaging them?
Asked on shortcomings such as the doctors inability to communicate in the local dialect or national language, he said: We have to live with it. Of course, it will take time for them to learn simple languages but our nurses are here to translate where it is necessary.
On why Sabah doctors are sent to Sarawak when the State is facing a shortage of doctors, Taha said normally, they get their postings under the Health Ministrys Human Resources Division, which does not really look at their state of origin.
But it is for the officers themselves to appeal if they do not wish to go outside Sabah. On the other hand, if there is no more place in Sabah for housemanship training, then the next destination is normally Sarawak.
After the training in Sarawak, the doctor normally applies for the Medical Officer (MO) post in the place where he or she wishes to work. The Human Resources Division of the Health Ministry will allocate the home state provided there is vacancy.
We are willing to change if it is Sabah and Sarawak...no problem of vacancy. So, if a doctor chooses to come home to either state, he or she is most welcome to do so, he pointed out.
