KUALA LUMPUR: Around 25 to 30 per cent of housemen fail to complete their housemanship within the set time frame due to their incompetence, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said the problem surrounding housemen was perpetual.
"Now, there is an increase in the number of medical graduates, whether locally or overseas. There are 5,000 graduates a year.
"(The issue with them is), during training, between 25 and 30 per cent of them get stuck. They are not so competent in their posting, hence they have to continue (extend).
"Due to the group getting stuck, many others cannot get placements. And then there are those who resign.
"There really is a congestion problem," he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Hilmi (BN-Balik Pulau) was responding to a supplementary question by Izani Husin (Pas-Pengkalan Chepa) on the number of available hospitals and training hospitals.
Earlier, Datuk Sapawi Amat Wasali @ Ahmad (BN-Sipitang) had asked on the Malaysian healthcare ranking according to international standards, and if the number of doctors now was enough to achieve world-class healthcare.
To this, Hilmi said that the International Living magazine had on January 5, in the 2017 Annual Global Retirement Index, named Malaysia as the country with the best healthcare system in the world compared to 24 countries, an accolade held for three consecutive years.
He said a Bloomberg survey in 2014 also placed Malaysia among 30 countries with the most efficient healthcare system based on three criteria namely lifespan at birth, the relative cost for healthcare per capita and the absolute cost for healthcare per capita.
Hilmi stated that at present, the country had 46,491 doctors in the government and private sectors, equivalent to a ratio of one doctor to 656 residents.
"With the present number of doctors, they are the ones who have served and contributed to Malaysia's achievements.
"However the country still needs additional doctors due to an increase in population, an increase in the burden of illnesses, high expectations, and more health services, so as to sustain world class and excellent services," he added.