Ministry of Health (MOH) to Undertake Fresh Health Human Resource Study in Current Year
By CodeBlue, 13 June 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 – The Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to conduct fresh research this year to update its 2019 study on human resources requirements in various healthcare fields.
Dr Zaliha Mustafa, the Health Minister, stated that the new study will consider the impact of policies introduced after 2016, as well as the healthcare needs of the population. In 2016, the contract system for doctors, dentists, and pharmacists was implemented.
According to Dr Zaliha, this updated study will enable them to clearly map and project the nationwide distribution and demand for healthcare workers. It will provide an evidence-based foundation for the implementation plans outlined in the Health White Paper. These long-term plans aim to enhance access to improved healthcare services for residents.
An expression of appreciation came from Dr Zaliha for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement regarding the continuation of Public Service Department (JPA) scholarships in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.
Anwar’s announcement came in response to public criticism following Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Armizan Mohd Ali’s parliamentary response last Thursday. Armizan had stated that JPA scholarships in the aforementioned fields were discontinued this year based on MOH’s 2019 projections, which indicated an oversupply of medical officers between 2026 and 2030.
During the Dewan Rakyat session earlier today, Anwar clarified that JPA’s decision to stop sponsoring medical, dental, and pharmacy students in the 2023 scholarship program, announced in March, was based on a previous policy.
Dr Zaliha emphasized that the MOH study cited by Armizan, titled “Supply and Needs Based Requirement Projections of Malaysian Human Resources for Health Using System Dynamics Approach 2016-2030,” relied on data from 2008 to 2015.
“To improve projections of healthcare human resources, we must consider changes in government policies since 2015, post-Covid-19 healthcare needs, shifts in disease burden, and advancements in medical technology and service requirements, particularly in specialty areas within the public and private sectors,” Dr Zaliha added.
