Materia Medica Malaysiana

Up to 20pc foreign docs booted out: Ministry

Penang: Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Lee Kah Choon disclosed that between 10 and 20 per cent foreign doctors and medical experts recruited by the Government to work in Malaysia had to be sent back as their service was not up to the standard required.

Language, background and cultural differences were among the reasons why they had failed to perform their duties well, he told reporters when visiting Penang Hospital, here, Friday.

He said at present, most foreign doctors in Malaysia were from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and lately, the Government was eyeing to recruit more doctors from Myanmar as they had been said to have the capability in providing good service.

On the cost borne by Government in recruiting foreign doctors, Lee said the Government spent about RM40 million annually to pay their salaries.

“The Government need not have to spend that much money if we have enough local doctors,” he said, and added that the Health Ministry was currently facing a shortage of not only doctors, but also nurses and pharmacists as well.

Despite the shortage, the Government would continue to provide the best health service including recruiting foreign doctors so that service to the people would not be affected, he said.

Presently, there were between 600 and 700 foreign doctors and medical experts working in hospitals nationwide, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, he said.

On the shortage of ambulance service, Lee said the Health Ministry would establish eight ambulance co-ordinating centres to optimise the use of work force and vehicles.

With the setting up of such centres, all ambulances belonging to hospitals and health clinics would be co-ordinated to give wider coverage, he said.

“We do not want to see some drivers and paramedics not fully utilised in certain areas,” he said adding the project would be implemented in phases starting this month. - Bernama