Health ministry targets permanent posts for all housemen by 2028

PETALING JAYA: The health ministry aims to offer permanent positions to all medical officers who complete their housemanship beginning in 2028.

The ministry’s secretary-general, Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad, said the move is part of the government’s efforts to resolve the long-standing contract doctor issue while strengthening the healthcare workforce.

Hasnol said the ministry expects about 4,500 contract medical officers to be absorbed into permanent positions this year, with the remaining appointments to be made in stages throughout 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 an Edisi Khas Bicara Sihat podcast.

Hasnol said the government has also approved 800 new medical officer positions each year.

At the same time, he said, the health ministry is filling 18,000 vacancies across 86 service schemes approved for 2026 to address staff shortages and ease the workload of healthcare workers.

Hasnol also dismissed claims that the ministry had frozen staff recruitment.

He said nearly 60% of the 18,000 positions had been filled as of June, and the ministry expects all vacancies to be filled by the end of the year.

“There is no recruitment freeze. In fact, the health ministry is actively filling these vacancies and is working closely with the Public Service Commission,” he said.

Hasnol said the ministry has introduced several measures to address burnout, including enhancing the working environment, increasing staffing levels, replacing outdated equipment, and implementing more suitable work systems.

However, he acknowledged that these improvements could not be implemented as quickly as the growing demand for public healthcare services.

He also said one of the ministry’s biggest challenges is replacing specialist doctors who leave the service, whether because of retirement, further studies, or other reasons.

Training new specialists takes a long time and differs from other public service schemes, where vacancies can be filled relatively quickly, he said.

“Let’s say we lose 10 specialist doctors this year. Replacing them could take another four years.

“In other service schemes, if an employee leaves this month, a replacement may be available the next month. But our service is different – even for technicians, dental personnel, radiographers and support staff.”