KOTA KINABALU: Sabah expects to improve its healthcare services to the people with an additional 474 medical officers transferred to the state.
Sabah Health Department director Dr Asits Sanna said they were previously under contract and have now been offered permanent positions.
"They are now under Grade UD43," he said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 19).
Of the number, a total of 339 have reported for duty at hospitals while the remaining 135 are attached to various health clinics state-wide.
"A total of 103 members who were based in Sabah have been transferred to other states.
"We hope with the additional staff received, our healthcare system can improve and the scope of services expanded," Dr Asits said.
He thanked the Health Ministry for its commitment in ensuring the number of medical staff in Sabah are on par with requirements.
Dr Asits also thanked all medical officers and staff who have served in Sabah for their dedication and hard work, and urged those still here to give their best when carrying out their duties.
"Let us move towards a better healthcare system for the people and to provide the best quality of service to this state," he said.
In June, the Health Ministry reported an oversupply of medical officers from 2016 to 2023 based on a study conducted.
In response, former minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said it was unfair to Sarawak and Sabah for the federal Health Ministry to give projections on the oversupply of medical practitioners given the reality of the healthcare situation on the ground.
He said there were still many district rural hospitals without doctors, much less specialists.
He said the ministry should not look at private or government hospitals in Kuala Lumpur only and use it as a ratio for the whole country.
Wan Junaidi said the findings from the study were not representative of the true situation in the two states as the healthcare facilities were less accessible compared with the peninsula.
