Kota Kinabalu: Sabah only has about 2,884 doctors serving in the State compared to an estimated need of around 9,000, reflecting the ongoing challenges in meeting the demand for health services.
Sabah Women, Health and People’s Wellbeing (KWKKR) Minister Datuk Julita Majungki said the shortage reflected deeper systemic issues, including declining interest in the medical profession and difficulty retaining doctors in Sabah.
She said the shortage had impacted service delivery in Sabah, with doctors facing a heavier workload and often serving in remote areas with limited resources.
“Doctors not only treat patients, but also manage constraints in terms of infrastructure and manpower. Despite this, many continue to serve with high commitment, especially in rural areas,” she said when opening the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Doctors’ Rights and Responsibilities Seminar at the Sabah International Convention Centre, here, Saturday.
Julita said based on the national trend revealed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), only 10 per cent of the 5,000 new doctor placements were filled at the beginning of this year, which indicated a depletion of potential doctor resources in the future, which will continue to put pressure on the health system if not addressed.
She said the State Government had also raised Sabah's health priorities directly with the MOH, including requests for increased allocations to accelerate infrastructure development and improve services.
She said the matter had also been raised at the policy level, including discussions under the technical committee of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“I would like to reiterate the need for the Federal Government to re-evaluate the Bilateral Incentive Payment (BIW) and consider restoring it to its original form.
“This needs to be complemented by improved cost of living allowances for doctors serving in rural areas and facing resource constraints as it is important to motivate and retain doctors, especially in Sabah and Sarawak,” she said.
