Kuala lumpur: The Public Service Department (JPA) has sanctioned the creation of 66,312 new non-trade-off posts for the Ministry of Health (MOH), with a financial implication of RM6.7 billion aimed at fortifying the nation's public healthcare system.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the JPA announced the approval of 53,516 new posts to support the operation of new healthcare facilities, upgrade projects for existing facilities, and enhance the delivery of healthcare services to the public. This initiative entails a financial implication of RM4.5 billion. Additionally, the government has sanctioned 12,796 permanent posts for Medical Officers, Dental Officers, and Pharmacists from 2022 until June 30 this year, with a financial implication of RM2.2 billion.
The JPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, is reviewing a proposal to create 13,000 new non-trade-off posts to support 256 new and upgraded healthcare facilities, with an estimated financial implication of RM1.25 billion. The ongoing efforts underscore the government's commitment to strengthening the public healthcare system, ensuring the public receives quality healthcare services.
The JPA highlighted that based on the Malaysia Health Indicators 2025 published by MOH, the national medical officers-to-population ratio stands at approximately 1:403, meeting the target set for 2026. However, disparities in the distribution of Medical Officers across states and federal territories remain, such as in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, where the ratio is about 1:19, significantly exceeding the national average.
The JPA emphasized that the current challenge lies in the effective distribution, placement, and optimal utilization of human resources to ensure adequate capacity for healthcare services across all facilities. Improvements are needed in managing Training Reserve Posts (JSL) to expedite the redeployment of Medical Officers who have completed specialist training, thereby optimizing the utilization cycle of these posts.
The audit conducted by JPA revealed that the redeployment process for Medical Officers after specialist training takes between three and 12 months, impacting the availability of Training Reserve Posts for other officers. The Graduate On Time (GOT) rate for Medical Officers undergoing specialist training is currently around 46 percent, indicating the need for strengthened candidate selection, training implementation monitoring, and management of Training Reserve Posts to improve completion rates and increase specialist availability.
The JPA remains committed to collaborating with the MOH to enhance human resource development in healthcare through the creation of new posts and improvements in governance, ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of the country's public healthcare system.