KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called on the Health Ministry to explain the shortage of housemen at a teaching hospital here, following a recent report.
In a statement today, MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said any possible shortage of housemen is a cause for concern as over 70% of the population depends on the public healthcare system for their healthcare needs.
“Any shortage of housemen at healthcare facilities is concerning as it will have an impact on the delivery of public healthcare services.
“It is perplexing to hear that there are housemen shortages, especially since between 3,000 to 5,000 medical graduates are being produced each year.
“How many of these medical graduates have entered the healthcare system in the last three years, and how many have resigned? How many are not interested in clinical work?” she asked.
Her comments were in response to a report by health news portal CodeBlue, which said that the medicine department at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) is facing a shortage of housemen.
The report also said that a dire shortage of housemen is forcing the UMMC’s Department of Medicine to consider adopting a zero-HO (no housemen) protocol.
Dr Azizan also questioned the e-houseman officer (e-HO) system set up for medical graduates to choose their preferred location for their placements.
“Are medical graduates being too selective over where they wish to serve? The MMA hopes the MOH will shed light on this issue,” she said.
She also expressed concerns that the workload of medical officers at UMMC will significantly increase if there is a zero-HO protocol.
“This might potentially lead to further burnout and resignations among those ‘frustrated with the system’.
“The government must take sufficient steps to rectify this issue of houseman shortages,” she said.
Dr Azizan said the Health Ministry and the higher education ministry (MOHE) must work together towards a more sustainable solution concerning housemen placement, training, and providing solutions to manpower issues.
These issues have once again underscored the urgent need for comprehensive, long-term planning of healthcare human resources and the digitalisation of public health, she added. – January 19, 2024