MOH TAKING NUMEROUS INITIATIVES TO CLOSE THE DOCTOR: POPULATION RATIO GAP IN SABAH

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Priority will be given to Sabah-born medical officers to serve in the state as part of the Health Ministry's (MOH) strategy to close the doctor-to-population ratio gap, especially in Sabah.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni highlighted that the ministry is deploying more medical officers, medical graduates completing specialty training, as well as permanent and contract specialist doctors to the state.

“We will also adopt a more innovative approach by consolidating specialty services within specific facilities under the cluster hospital concept and implementing a visiting specialist programme, enabling specialists to attend to rural populations.

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"The MOH will continue numerous incentives, such as the Location-Based Hardship Allowance, Regional Travel Allowance, and Specialist Placement Incentives for medical and dental specialists at health facilities in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan, to attract and retain healthcare workers, particularly in rural and remote areas,” he said.

He was responding to a question from Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) regarding the ministry’s strategies and timeline to close the doctor-to-population ratio gap in Sabah, which is currently one doctor for every 900 residents compared to the national ratio of one to 412, during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

In response to Isnaraissah Munirah's question on Sabah's target bed-to-population ratio, Lukanisman shared that the ratio of hospital beds per 1,000 residents has improved from 1.52 to 1.77, with an additional 1,941 government hospital beds planned by 2030.

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“To calculate the Bed-to-Total Population Ratio (BPR), we include beds in non-MOH government facilities and private hospitals, covering 40 beds at Ministry of Defense hospitals and beds under the Universiti Malaysia Sabah Hospital project, which is expected to be ready by 2026.

“We also account for projected growth in private hospital beds, with an estimated five percent increase in line with recent private sector contributions in Sabah over the last five years,” he explained.

Lukanisman noted that a significant challenge in Sabah is achieving optimal staffing of medical officers, as many facilities remain substandard.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for increasing next year’s budget to upgrade dilapidated clinics nationwide from RM150 million to RM300 million.

“This year alone, we have demolished and rebuilt 21 rural clinics and health facilities, expanding them to boost service capacity,” he added in response to Isnaraissah Munirah’s supplementary question on government efforts to improve clinic and hospital facilities to attract more experienced doctors and specialists.

— BERNAMA