Longer compulsory service

NST: Doctors in public hospitals who take up postgraduate specialist training may be bonded for longer periods.
This is to stop the "brain drain" to the private sector, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Latiff Ahmad said today.
He said medical officers had an obligation to serve the Government, as public funds financed their courses.
He said many "escaped" to the private sector after becoming specialists, resulting in a shortage of medical experts in government hospitals.
Currently, medical officers are required to serve for 10 years in government hospitals but there is no fixed bond period for those upgraded to specialists, as it depends on their years of service with the Government, quantum of study loan taken, and other factors.
"The ministry feels doctors who undertake postgraduate studies at the Government’s expense must remain and serve in government hospitals for a longer time," Dr Latiff said at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital today.
He said the ministry would discuss the matter with the Public Service Department, adding that the bond could be for about five years, as most medical officers doing postgraduate courses were in their 40s.
He said specialists were needed to serve in departments such as rheumatology (diseases of muscles, tendons, joints, bones), pulmonology (diseases of the lungs), nephrology (diseases of the kidneys), gastroenterology (diseases of the stomach and intestines), haematology and oncology (diseases of the blood and tumours) and cardiology.
"If we keep losing these medical experts to the private sector, sophisticated medical equipment and facilities in government hospitals will go to waste."
Earlier, Dr Latiff handed over financial assistance from the Medical Aid Fund to 12 needy patients.
To date, 17 people in Johor have benefited from the fund, with a total of RM411,519 given out.
Ten of the recipients needed special medical assistance such as a total knee replacement, spinal implants and total hip replacement, three received cardiology implants and four needed support equipment.