The Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to end Malaysia’s long-running contract doctor issue by 2028 by offering permanent positions to all medical graduates immediately after they complete their housemanship.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the target is being pursued through a whole-of-government approach under an inter-ministerial task force established to resolve manpower challenges in the healthcare sector.
He said ongoing reforms have begun delivering tangible progress in addressing longstanding workforce management issues within the ministry.
“This year alone, 4,500 contract medical officers will be absorbed into permanent positions, in addition to 800 new permanent posts approved annually,” he said.
Dzulkefly also dismissed concerns over a hiring freeze, stressing that the ministry continues to recruit healthcare workers despite adjustments to the government’s operating expenditure (OE) budget.
He said MOH remains on track to fill more than 18,000 vacancies across all service schemes in 2026.
Beyond recruitment, the ministry is also stepping up efforts to improve workplace conditions to reduce burnout among healthcare workers.
However, Dzulkefly acknowledged that producing and replacing specialist doctors remains a more complex challenge requiring long-term structural reforms.
To address this, he said Deputy Director-General of Health (Medical) Mohd Azman Yacob has been tasked with overhauling specialist training and resolving issues surrounding the production of locally trained specialists.
“Whether through local Master’s programmes or the Parallel Pathway, we must build a sustainable, world-class training ecosystem for Malaysia’s healthcare professionals,” he said.
He added that the reforms are aimed at creating a more sustainable healthcare system while providing clearer and more secure career pathways, particularly for young doctors.
