MALAYSIA is ramping up efforts to address the critical shortage of doctors and the mounting backlog of elective surgeries in public hospitals, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announcing the creation of more than 4,300 new medical posts to be filled by the end of next year.
“The Government has increased the number of positions for doctors and medical officers to ensure quality healthcare services for the people,” said Anwar on Wednesday.
“The Ministry of Health will expedite the recruitment of more than 4,352 positions—especially contract doctors—at healthcare facilities nationwide by the end of 2025.”
The announcement comes as Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad disclosed that almost 15,000 patients are currently on waiting lists for elective surgeries at public hospitals across the country, with many facing delays of several months—and in some cases, over a year.
In a written parliamentary reply today, Dzulkefly said the ministry is fully aware of the extended wait times at government facilities, although emergency cases continue to be prioritised without compromising patient safety.
“A total of 9,233 patients are currently waiting for cataract surgeries at 56 hospitals under the ministry, with an average waiting period of three months,” he said.
Procedures related to kidney stones—such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy and retrograde intrarenal surgery—also face significant delays. At 13 hospitals with resident specialists, 2,661 patients are currently on the list, waiting an average of 11 months.
He added that 2,293 patients are awaiting major cardiothoracic procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafts and heart valve surgeries, with an average wait of seven months.
Elective paediatric cardiothoracic cases face the most severe delays, with 603 children still awaiting surgery and an average waiting time of 21 months.
To alleviate these long delays, Dzulkefly said the Ministry of Health is rolling out a number of short- and long-term interventions.
“These include expanding the cluster hospital concept and deploying surgical specialists to more hospitals that currently lack resident experts,” he said.
He also highlighted increased collaboration between government agencies and public-private partnerships to reduce waiting times. One example is the MAIWP-Hospital Selayang Cataract Surgery Centre—a collaboration between the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council and the Health Ministry.
The **Health Services Outsourcing Programme** is also being leveraged to refer patients to private providers, ensuring faster access to essential surgery for those in need.
These initiatives, combined with the expansion of the healthcare workforce, are seen as crucial to restoring public confidence in the nation’s overstretched public health system. - July 23, 2025
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