KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is scrutinising ways to address the medical brain drain in the public health sector, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the matter must be thoroughly scrutinised as it involves huge wage gaps between medical personnel in the public and private health sectors.
"As such, the ministry will conduct engagement with related stakeholders to find the best ways to address the issue and make them stay in the public health sector.
"At the same time, another approach is by working with the private health sector, to ensure that they will give the best and optimum health services at the public and private sectors," she said in reply to a supplementary question from Tan Kok Wai (PH-Cheras).
Tan had asked about the ministry's approach to addressing medical brain drain woes, which he said could affect the quality of the public health system.
Meanwhile, Dr Zaliha said the ministry iw currently implementing the administrative structure and the formation of various committees called the Technical Working Committee towards the establishment of the Healthcare Reform Commission.
"We are currently detailing the matter and holding engagement sessions with experts from the ministry and other parties to search for the best way to establish the commission.
"At the same time, the ministry is currently working on the implementation of the health system as outlined in the Health White Paper which was tabled previously," she said, in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat), who asked for the latest status of the commission.