The Health Ministry is targeting a policy shift that would see all medical officers who complete their housemanship being offered permanent positions starting from 2028.
Health Ministry secretary-general Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of contract doctors while strengthening the national healthcare system.
He said the ministry expects around 4,500 contract medical officers to be absorbed into permanent posts this year, with further intakes to be carried out in stages through 2027 and 2028.
“We are currently in discussions with the government to establish a new policy whereby starting in 2028, all house officers who complete their housemanship will be offered permanent positions immediately. That is our target,” he said during the Edisi Khas Bicara Sihat podcast.
Hasnol added that the government has already approved 800 new medical officer posts annually as part of efforts to strengthen staffing levels in public healthcare facilities.
He also said the ministry is actively filling about 18,000 vacancies across 86 service schemes approved for 2026, aimed at addressing manpower shortages and reducing workload pressures on healthcare workers.
Dismissing claims of a hiring freeze, Hasnol stressed that recruitment is ongoing and coordinated closely with the Public Service Commission.
He said nearly 60% of the 18,000 vacancies had already been filled as of June, with full completion expected by the end of the year.
“There is no recruitment freeze. In fact, we are actively filling these positions,” he said.
Hasnol also outlined several measures introduced to address burnout among healthcare workers, including improvements to working conditions, workforce expansion, equipment upgrades and more efficient work systems.
However, he acknowledged that demand for public healthcare services continues to grow faster than improvements can be implemented.
He noted that one of the ministry’s biggest challenges is replacing specialist doctors who leave the service due to retirement, further studies or other reasons.
He said training new specialists takes years, making replacements far more complex compared to other public service roles where vacancies can be filled more quickly.
