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KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry will conduct a new study this year on manpower needs for public health services as existing data may be outdated, minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.
The new study will assess the health sector’s true manpower needs and take into account more recent policies introduced from 2016 onwards, as well as trends in public health, she said in a statement.
This follows Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement yesterday that the government will continue to sponsor students in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, after the Public Service Department (PSD) reportedly said it would stop these scholarships due to a projected oversupply of manpower.
“(The Health Ministry) welcomes the prime minister’s decision to continue sponsorship of students in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.
“With this (the new study), the distribution and actual need for medical personnel for the whole country can be mapped and projected with clarity. The study will be evidence-based and will work towards implementation of strategies in the health white paper,” Zaliha said in her statement.
She added that her ministry would continue discussions with PSD to ensure manpower planning for public health services will meet public needs.
Zaliha said the last study on manpower needs in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy was projected for the period from 2016 to 2030, and found that there would be an oversupply of medical officers from 2026.
“However, this study was based on data from 2008 to 2015 and no longer accurately represents the current situation.
“Projections on manpower needs for the health sector should take into account policy changes after 2015, health needs that arise post-Covid-19, changes in disease, and developments in medical technology, as well as demand for specialists in both the public and private sectors,” she added.
On June 11, Dr Zaliha announced that PSD had decided to stop sponsoring students in the three fields because of the projected oversupply based on the last study.
Yesterday however, following some outcry, Anwar said the PSD scholarships for students in these fields would continue.
Anwar said he had a special meeting with PSD which clarified that the decision to stop sponsorships was current policy, but the prime minister asked for it to be reviewed.
“I asked for this to be reviewed (because) based on our projections, the need for the medical, dental, and pharmacy sectors is still there,” he said. – The Vibes, June 13, 2023
