Only 17 cardiothoracic specialists serving under Health Ministry, Dewan Rakyat told

KUALA LUMPUR: There are currently only 17 cardiothoracic specialists serving in the Health Ministry, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Wednesday (June 26).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad added that another 23 doctors are receiving training in the specialisation with 16 of them through parallel pathway training while seven are taking up UiTM Medical Master’s programme.

“The ministry is always trying to overcome the problem of a shortage of cardiothoracic surgery specialists.

ALSO READ: Clearing the confusion over the parallel pathway for medical specialists

“Among the steps taken was to introduce specialist training through the Parallel Path Expertise Training in 2014.

"In 2020, UiTM established a Master of Medicine in Cardiothoracic Surgery programme,” he said in a written reply to Khoo Poay Tiong (PH- Kota Melaka) on Wednesday (June 26).

Khoo had asked the ministry to explain measures taken to address the lack of cardiothoracic surgery specialists.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry shortlisting private hospitals to strengthen access to healthcare

Dr Dzulkefly also said that the ministry has been conducting several initiatives to further improve and widen specialist services to Malaysians which include increasing the number of the Federal specialist scholarships to 1,650 slots annually.

“(The ministry) is also increasing the opportunities for specialist training through the Health Ministry’s parallel pathway programme with 600 slots being offered,” he added.

The Star in March had reported that the shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons has left some 1,500 heart and lung disease patients in government hospitals in dire straits.

In a separate question by Datuk Awang Hashim (PN- Pendang) on the total number of specialist doctors in various fields currently in service with the government, Dr Dzulkefly said there were about 8,397 gazetted positions.

ALSO READ: Creating more cardiothoracic surgeons

Internal medicine specialists lead the list with 1,412 doctors in service, followed by Anaesthesiology and Critical Care (736), Family Medicine (673) and Public Health (586).

Among the efforts taken by the ministry to increase the number of specialists include contractual re-appointment of retired Malaysian medical officers to serve with the Health Ministry based on high-demand locations.

“(Other initiatives include) providing specialist services from the private sector to serve on a sessional basis and encourage Malaysian doctors who are serving abroad to return home,” said Dr Dzulkefly.

For talent retention, the minister said the government has introduced a UD56 grade for specialists while allowing the specialists to also practise in the private sector outside their working hours to generate additional income.

Dr Dzulkefly added that the strategies also include the improved allowances of RM200 per hour, incentive payment up to RM3,100, on-call and active call allowances of RM230 on weekdays and RM250 on weekends.