Sabah losing experienced medical staff after training, says Dzulkefly

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah is experiencing a troubling trend of experienced medical staff leaving the state after completing their training, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The Health Minister emphasized that Sabah is often treated as a mere training ground, with personnel leaving to apply for transfers elsewhere.

This cycle of training, serving, and departing experienced officers threatens the continuity of medical services in the state, he said during a Health Minister's Dialogue Programme at Dewan Wisma Wanita. Last year, only 12 medical specialists reported for duty in Sabah, while 57 specialists transferred out. Similarly, pharmacy officers saw 174 reporting to Sabah, but 115 applied for transfers.

Currently, Sabah has 2,546 doctors, 549 specialists, and 10,164 nurses, leaving a staffing shortfall of 3,557 positions. The government has taken steps to address the issue, including the establishment of the Health Ministry-Public Service Department Staffing Management Task Force and the Health Ministry-Higher Education Ministry Joint Committee.

The ministry has also invested RM75.5 million in redeveloping and upgrading 132 dilapidated clinics in Sabah between 2023 and 2025. The Federal Government has allocated RM1.56 billion for 53 healthcare development projects throughout Sabah, with 32 physical projects and 21 non-physical projects focused on ICT digitalization and modern medical equipment.

The ministry is driving a comprehensive healthcare digitalization agenda through the Cloud-Based Clinic Management System (CCMS), with Sabah set to expand the system to 36 health clinics and ensure 100% utilization of the Dental Information System in primary dental clinics. Healthcare services in Sabah are also being integrated with the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi) ecosystem, enabling rural and island communities to access virtual consultations conveniently.