45,748 Medical Professionals Needed In 2010

The country needs 45,748 doctors, dentists and pharmacists in the year 2010 to achieve the targeted ratio between doctors and patients.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mustapa Mohamad said the ratio stipulated by the government by the year 2010 was one doctor for every 600 patients, while the ratio for dentists was 1:4,000 and that for pharmacists was 1:2,000.
The current ratio was one doctor for every 1,300 patients, one dentist for 9,900 patients while the ratio for pharmacists was 1:7,230.
"This means that at the moment, we have not attained the level desired and as such, we have to increase the number of professionals in these areas to provide better service to Malaysians," he said during question time at the Dewan Negara Monday.
Replying to Senator Datuk Yaakob Mohammad on the shortage of professionals in critical posts in the country, Mustapa said that up to the end of last year, there were about 15,300 doctors serving in the country.
He said the government had taken various measures to fill up the shortage of professionals in the medical sector including increasing the number of places in local universities and sending students abroad.
On the other professions, Mustapa said as at the end of last year, Malaysia had 21,130 accountants, 43,400 engineers and about 12,000 lawyers.
He said 174,000 engineers would be required by the year 2010.
Source