PORT DICKSON: Discussion is in progress between the Health Ministry (MOH) and the Public Service Department (JPA) regarding the department’s decision to stop sponsoring students in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the ministry was also prepared to review a study conducted in 2019 which projected an oversupply of medical officers from 2026 to 2030.
"We know there are changes, especially after the post-COVID-19, so there may be new things that need to be revisited in the study.
"Our worry is that the move (to halt sponsorship) may discourage students from pursuing studies,” she told reporters after launching the Global Adults Tobacco Survey (GATS) here today.
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According to Dr Zaliha, the ministry is worried that the decision would discourage students from continuing studies in the medical field.
Health services are essential, therefore professions such as doctors and other positions in the medical scheme are necessary in the country, she said.
Based on media reports, the PSD has decided to stop sponsoring students pursuing studies in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy following a study by the Health Ministry which projected an over-supply of medical officers from 2026 to 2030.
According to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, MOH’s Health Indicators 2022 report showed a nationwide 1:420 ratio of doctor to population (across both public and private sectors), with a 1:400 ratio expected to be achieved in 2025.
Meanwhile, on the GATS, Dr Zaliha said it is a household survey conducted nationwide by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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