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Foreign doctors not interested to serve in Malaysia |
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Posted by admin
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Friday, 12 December 2008 09:11 |
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(Bernama) Foreign doctors and medical specialists regard Malaysia as the last choice to work although the Malaysian government offers them various incentives.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the lack of doctors was a global problem currently.
“We try to attract doctors from India to work here but they are more interested to serve in first-choice countries like the United States and in Europe or the second choice, the Middle East,” he told reporters after opening the Methadone Conference, here, today.
He said the shortage of doctors in Malaysia had forced the government to look for an alternative by inviting foreign doctors and medical specialists to work in this country but it was not easy.
“Only an attractive package will make them come here but this will be very expensive for us.
“In fact, getting doctors from Indonesia to serve in Malaysia is also difficult as they are each being paid a monthly salary of 40-50 million rupiah (about RM15,000) while for the same position in government service in Malaysia, they will earn only about RM6,000 monthly despite having to work overtime.
“In contrast to the salary scheme in Malaysia, the Indonesian provinces which produce oil pay high salaries to the doctors there,” he said.
Malaysia would need 2,000 doctors, 1,000 assistant pharmacists and thousands of nurses in 2009, he said, and the best way to fill the vacancies for doctors was to hire foreigners.
However, the country would be able to overcome the shortage of doctors by 2016, he added.
Dr Abdul Latiff was also asked about the criticism by the opposition that the government was willing to spend billions of ringgit on defence equipment and not the same amount on improving the medical facilities.
To this, he said other than on hospital buildings and equipment, some expenses could not be seen such as on training and recruitment of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel.
“The common public complaint is the unsatisfactory service and the long wait at the hospitals to be seen by a doctor.
“Due to the shortage of doctors, many of them have to work overtime, but they are human beings, not robots.
“So, we hope the public will understand. After so many hours at work, they should not feel slighted or annoyed if the doctor is not putting on a smile,” he said.
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. why is this happening. Then, when certain people came back, they have to sit for BM test. Then again, when we appoint foreign doctors, they don't even speak BM. very very funny. WHAT A STUPID POLICY. OR MAYBE THE POLICY WAS MAKE BY STUPID MINISTERS. If this don't change, who would want to come back. The education policy now most probably math & science will be taught in BM, but the minister son study english abroad. come on lah, WHAT KIND OF LEADER IS THIS. IBU KETAM AJAR ANAK JALAN LURUS, TAPI SENDIRI????????? 
How many times have we heard such statement before. There are many bright students who are capable of being qualified to be doctors but have not been given the chance by the government because of its racist policy. If not for parents who finance their children medical education, the shortage would even be more acute today. Above that, I heard from a doctor's friend that there are many foreigners including the well-to-do using government medical facilities in Sabah and Sarawak without paying. It's a norm to wait for five or six hours to be attended to by a doctor in a government outpatient clinic.