KUCHING: A newly formed inter-ministerial task force to address Malaysia’s shortage of doctors and specialists can be effective only if it delivers concrete reforms.
Public health expert, Dr Nabila Zulkifli, said that the initiative, announced by Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, recenly, must be empowered to implement real changes in staffing, funding and career structures, rather than merely studying the issue.
She added that the shortage, particularly acute in Sabah and Sarawak, requires coordination beyond the Health Ministry, involving agencies such as the Ministry of Finance, Public Service Department, Ministry of Higher Education,) l) and state governments.
“The task force’s mandate to examine shortages, retention, incentives and career pathways within a defined timeline is encouraging, but its success depends on whether it produces tangible outcomes,” she told Sarawak Tribune.
Dr Nabila stressed that immediate and practical incentives are needed to attract doctors and specialists to Sabah and Sarawak.
“These should include enhanced rural or hardship allowances, return-flight benefits, housing support, and faster absorption into permanent posts,” she said.
She added that service in the two states should be positioned as a career advantage, with priority access to specialist training (HPL) and structured progression pathways.
“For specialists, additional measures such as flexible dual practice options, opportunities for sabbatical training, protected time for continuing medical education, and guaranteed promotion pathways would significantly improve retention,” she added.
On long-term retention, she said current career pathways in the public healthcare system remain insufficient, citing slow progression, heavy workloads, and unclear long-term rewards as key reasons doctors leave.
“Key retention factors consistently include career advancement opportunities, job security, recognition, work-life balance, workplace support, welfare and competitive remuneration.
“Addressing these areas requires substantial reform, not incremental adjustments,” she said.
Dr Nabila also called for a more strategic and data-driven approach to workforce planning.
This, she said, includes forecasting needs by specialty and geographic area, expanding specialist training capacity, retaining locally trained graduates, and improving healthcare infrastructure.
She also added that decentralising certain human resource decisions and aligning funding with population needs and disease burden are critical to ensuring equitable healthcare distribution.
Commenting on past efforts, she said they have largely failed due to short-term and fragmented measures, such as temporary postings, ad-hoc transfers, limited incentives, and slow absorption into permanent roles.
“The scale of the shortage, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak, reflects longstanding structural gaps rather than isolated issues.
“This time, success will depend on clear targets, defined timelines, adequate budget allocation, and strong accountability mechanisms. Without these, even well-intentioned initiatives may fall short,” she said.
