Cancer centre struggles with shortage of medical officers

Malaysia's cancer treatment centre is grappling with a shortage of medical officers (MOs), with only around four staff members treating up to 90 patients daily in the day-care unit. The facility sees over 3,300 new cancer cases annually, and about 33,000 patients for follow-up treatment. On some days, the oncology clinic handles 150 to 160 patients, while the day-care unit treats 90 to 100 chemotherapy patients.

The shortage has become more pronounced over the past two to three years due to MOs leaving and not enough new recruits joining to replace them. The situation worsens when MOs take leave for medical reasons, study, or are transferred to other facilities. The heavy workload has raised concerns about fatigue and errors, particularly in administering chemotherapy and monitoring patients.

The department has received weekly complaints about patients waiting more than four hours for treatment, and referral appointments have also lengthened, with patients sometimes waiting up to four weeks before starting treatment. This delay can exacerbate patients' conditions and increase costs if more complex treatment is required later.

The doctor emphasized the need for additional MOs and retention of existing ones, calling attention to the broader challenge of growing patient numbers not being matched by an increasing workforce.