KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 3,046 contract medical officers resigned between 2021 and 2023
The Health Ministry said 768 (2.92 per cent) out of 26,303 had resigned in 2021; 1,354 (4.58 per cent) out of 29,548 in 2022 and 924 (2.82 per cent) out of 32,813 in 2023.
"Among the reasons given by those who had resigned included them getting an offer to work as a public university lecturer, working with the private sector, as well as due to personal reasons and health problems," the ministry said in a Dewan Negara written reply to Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran.
Dr Lingeshwaran asked about the number of contract-status medical officers who resigned each year from 2021 to 2023.
To the question on the number of medical officers on contract status, the ministry said there are 14,511 of them as of Dec 31.
"Of the total, 6,478 were housemen and 8,033 were medical officers."
The ministry said from 2019 to 2023, a total of 9,822 medical officers were made permanent.
"From this year to next year, the ministry projected that more than 6,000 contract medical officers, who are fully registered with the Malaysian Medical Council, are to be absorbed into permanent positions."
Meanwhile, Dr Lingeshwaran as quoted by FMT said that the number of contract medical officers who resigned was troubling and called for an in-depth study to find the actual reasons.
"The ministry must also find out if the contract doctors are leaving out of frustration because of the long wait for a permanent appointment.
"It could also be the long hours they have to put in while being attached to hospitals," he was quoted as saying by the portal.