KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 6,417 permanent and contract medical officers have resigned between 2019 and 2023, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Additionally, 1,046 medical specialists also resigned during the same period, with 63 opting for early retirement.
“One of the primary reasons for these resignations is job offers as lecturers at public universities. Other reasons include personal issues, competency challenges, and health problems.
“Some resignations are also necessary to comply with service regulations, allowing contract appointments to be shortened for the transition to permanent positions and the processing of contract gratuities,” he said in a written reply to Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran.
The senator had requested clarification on the number of permanent and contract medical officers who have resigned or opted for early retirement from the Ministry of Health (MOH) over the past five years.
According to MOH statistics, of the 6,417 medical officers who resigned, 2,385 were permanent staff, while the remaining 4,032 were contract appointees.
Dr Dzulkefly also noted that the figure excludes 1,086 contract medical officers who resigned to shorten their contracts in order to accept permanent positions and process their contract gratuities.
As for the current number of health personnel serving in the MOH, Dr Dzulkefly reported that as of June 30, 2023, there were 298,853 healthcare personnel.
“Of that total, 266,133 are permanent staff, while 32,720 are contract staff. This includes 7,638 medical specialists and 44,155 medical officers,” he said.
This crisis highlights the significant challenges in retaining medical professionals in Malaysia, particularly in delivering high-quality healthcare services to the public.
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