Health Ministry to revise work practices to support strained healthcare workers, says Dr Dzul

PETALING JAYA: Acknowledging the plight of healthcare workers, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic) said the ministry is undertaking serious reforms in the healthcare sector.

The Health Minister said a multifaceted approach has been adopted to address these challenges.

“Rest assured, we are committed to tackling these issues with utmost seriousness and pledge to strengthen our strategies wherever and whenever necessary,” he said in a statement on Thursday (June 6).

Taking note of the various issues faced by healthcare workers including burnout, which has been constantly highlighted in the press, Dzulkefly said that healthcare staff are invaluable assets and deserve comprehensive support.

He noted from the World Health Assembly that countries around the world are facing significant healthcare challenges.

“In a 2023 testimony to their House of Representatives, officials admitted that the Philippines was facing a shortage of over 114,000 physicians and 127,000 nurses.

“Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to this problem of human resources. Furthermore, we fully agree with the urgent need for a cultural shift and making the well-being of our healthcare workforce a priority.”

Dzulkefly said this includes fostering a healthier work-life balance and a fair compensation structure.

“The Health Ministry is earnestly revisiting longstanding practices, such as excessively long on-call hours,” he added.

The ministry’s mitigation measures include optimising patient distribution through hospital clustering; exploring public-private partnerships for outsourcing services; mobilising staff to high-demand departments; and extending operating hours at health clinics to reduce strain on hospitals.

Workforce gaps are also being identified through a “supply and demand” survey conducted in collaboration with the World Bank.

“While we hope for an expansion of our human resources, our financial resources are admittedly constrained. Therefore, among other measures, we introduced ‘contract for service’ or ‘contract doctors’ in 2016.

“Addressing these constraints will require critical reforms and a financing strategy to build a sustainable and resilient healthcare system. We are now undertaking these reforms earnestly.

“To our dedicated healthcare professionals, we ask for your patience as we navigate this critical transformative journey. Your understanding and continued contributions are deeply appreciated as we work towards positive change.

“Let us maintain an open dialogue as we progress together,” he added.

A recent ad hoc poll by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) found that only 5% of healthcare facilities operate with adequate staffing levels.

Regarding the factors contributing to staffing shortages, nearly half (48.3%) of the 117 respondents cited doctors resigning (28.8%) or being transferred (13.6%) as key reasons.

Healthcare advocates warn that the apparent inability of workers to cope may further exacerbate the manpower shortage in the healthcare sector.