PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has denied that there will be a shortage of medical officers at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Hospital Tunku Azizah (HTA) in Kuala Lumpur.
In a statement, the ministry said medical officers from other states would be transferred to both hospitals to replace those who will be transferred out starting July 18.
"A letter issued by the HKL management was for internal coordination to ensure delivery of health services, especially HTA's emergency department, continues to run smoothly.
"In line with the outgoing exchange of medical officers from HKL to HTA on July 18, the ministry has planned to send medical officers from another state to HKL and HTA on the same date to replace those leaving.
"The exchange deal is normal procedure implemented by the ministry to execute instructions and process officers' transfer applications from time to time," it said.
Earlier, an internal letter tweeted by Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) said HKL's senior management found out that there would be a shortage of medical officers at HKL and HTA following the exit of junior medical officers (floaters).
The internal letter, signed by HKL's deputy director Dr Marina Abdullah Sani, said a meeting would be held at the hospital's auditorium on Friday afternoon (July 1) with all medical staff to find a solution.
HDK said the letter showed that the doctor shortage crisis could only worsen, something they warned about a long time ago.
"They barely had enough doctors to cater to HKL's patient load, and now this," tweeted HDK.
