Kuota pakar 30% buka peluang doktor, perkukuh kesihatan Sabah dan Sarawak

On October 8th this year, the Malaysian Ministry of Health announced a special quota for encouraging more medical professionals to serve in Sabah and Sarawak. This proposal to allocate 30% of training slots to serving medical professionals has the potential to create more career opportunities for doctors while strengthening healthcare services in East Malaysia.

MMA President Dr L Sivanaesan noted that the availability of training slots among the considerations for doctors when deciding where to serve. She emphasized that doctors need to be confident that serving in Sabah and Sarawak will not hinder their career development. On October 8th, the Ministry of Health announced a special quota for encouraging more medical professionals to serve in Sabah and Sarawak, which is expected to allocate nearly 500 training slots under this initiative.

Dr L Sivanaesan stated that the success of this plan depends on the proper implementation that takes into account the real needs of healthcare services in both states, particularly in the shortage of specialists. "The success of this initiative needs to be measured by the distribution of specialists, their ability to maintain their services, and patients' access to specialist care, especially in underserved areas.

The goal is not just to train more specialists, but to ensure they are placed in areas where their services are most needed and provided with support to continue serving," she said. Dr Fatin Nurhidayah of KKIA Health Clinic in Sabah welcomed the initiative as doctors need to compete for training slots, including with candidates from the mainland.

She said if the special quota of 30% is implemented well, it has the potential to provide a pathway for doctors from Sabah and Sarawak to build a career as specialists. "It also reduces patients' dependence on reference hospitals in cities or other states, reducing the need for long-distance travel for treatment," she added. Dr Amirah Badrul Hisham of KKIA Health Clinic in Sarawak noted that the quota could provide doctors with exposure to different diseases based on their service location.

"Every doctor should experience serving in Sabah and Sarawak due to the differences in the diseases encountered," she said, a medical worker at KKIA Health Clinic in Sambir 1, Sarawak. Fatin and Amirah agreed that the initiative to strengthen the medical workforce should be accompanied by other steps, including providing adequate incentives, improving healthcare facilities, and caring for personnel, as well as providing suitable accommodation for doctors who move to Sabah and Sarawak.

Adequate workforce Meanwhile, KRI researcher Ilyana Mukriz viewed the quota as a positive step acknowledging the contributions of doctors in Sabah and Sarawak. However, she noted that the Ministry of Health needs to consider the number of medical professionals still working in Sabah and Sarawak when 30% undertake specialist training, considering many programs are offered by universities on the mainland.

"KKM needs to ensure hospital staff have sufficient manpower to accommodate trainees and those still working in the field," she said. Ilyana also suggested the quota be linked to a minimum service commitment in rural areas to ensure local communities benefit when doctors complete their training and return to serve in Sabah and Sarawak. "This is important to ensure patients benefit from returning specialists," she said.