Vacant posts for doctors in public health facilities will be filled, says health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
According to Berita Harian, Zaliha said the ministry was transferring doctors to fill vacancies, including at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), the country’s main hospital.
“We are currently in the process of transferring doctors who have received permanent placements throughout the country.
“When a doctor leaves, we will fill the vacancy with another doctor,” she said at a press conference in Langkawi.
Her remarks come amid a report by health portal CodeBlue of a possible shortage of doctors in the Klang Valley.
The report, quoting sources, said nearly 1,000 senior medical officers from the Klang Valley are expected to be relocated nationwide.
In the case of HKL, it is expected to lose 300 doctors and with only 100 to replace them through the eHousemen system.
However, Zaliha said HKL’s operations would not be affected.
“We have already made arrangements to ensure that the doctors who left will be replaced,” she said.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the internal medicine department of a major hospital in Melaka had announced a reduction of services due to an anticipated manpower shortage.
The expected shortage is due to contract doctors being posted to hospitals outside Melaka upon their permanent appointment. -FMT