KUALA LUMPUR: Besides improving the ratio of doctors to the population, the Health Ministry needs to focus on ensuring that healthcare resources are fairly distributed across different geographical areas.
Public health physician Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said this issue was particularly pertinent in regions like Sabah and Sarawak, as well as various parts of the peninsula where access to healthcare services was uneven.
"While it is important to achieve the target doctor-to-population ratio of 1:400, the distribution of healthcare resources across different regions and medical disciplines such as chronic diseases, cancer, mental and elderly services is also pivotal.
"It's not just about numbers, it's about ensuring that every region, regardless of its geographic challenges, has access to essential medical services."
"Addressing these disparities requires a strategic approach to resource allocation.
"It's about deploying healthcare professionals and facilities where they are most needed, taking into account both population density and specific healthcare demands," Dr Zainal said when contacted today.
On the 1:400 doctor-to-population ratio target, Dr Zainal said it was doable as Malaysia had local and overseas medical graduates to achieve the goal.
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.