KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia requires more medical specialists to meet the growing demand for healthcare services in the country.
Former deputy health minister Datuk Dr Lee Boon Chye said the country should aim for at least 30 per cent of all doctors in the public healthcare system to be specialists by 2030.
"There is a shortage of specialist doctors in the Health Ministry's facilities.
"Despite the fact that 70 per cent of all doctors work with the Health Ministry, less than 15 per cent are specialists. We should strive to have at least 30 per cent of all doctors in the Health Ministry's facilities as specialists by 2030," he said when contacted today.
Dr Lee added that the maldistribution of doctors was another issue that needed to be addressed.
"The Klang Valley has the highest concentration of doctors. In rural areas, especially in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak, the doctor-to-population ratio is significantly lower."
Dr Lee said the 1:400 doctor-to-population ratio target was reachable.
"Based on the Health Ministry's data in 2022, we had 79,443 doctors registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), which is a ratio of 1:412.
"Every year, there are about 2,000 to 4,000 medical graduates, with similar numbers of house officers completing their training.
"Hence, achieving the ratio 1:400, or 25 doctors per 10,000 population, by 2025 is certainly within reach, even accounting for the annual population growth of 1.1 per cent."
On the ideal doctor-to-population ratio, Dr Lee said; "There is no ideal doctor-to-population ratio. As the economic status of the nation improves, and the population gets older, more doctors will be needed to meet the demand for quality healthcare.
"Hence, for an upper middle-income nation like Malaysia, the 1:400 ratio is appropriate.When the nation moves towards high-income status, more doctors will be needed."
On Monday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat that the ministry was committed to achieving a 1:400 doctor-to-population ratio in the country by next year.
He said the doctor-to-population ratio stood at 1:412 in 2022 compared with 1:758 in 2012.
He said the ratio of 1:400 would include doctors under the ministry, the Higher Education Ministry, the private sector and others.
In comparison, the ratio in Singapore stood at 1:270, the United Kingdom at 1:357, Australia at 1:270, Austria at 1:192, Thailand at 1:1,111 and Indonesia at 1:1,400.