JOHOR BARU: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has demanded that the Health Ministry fulfil its earlier pledge to immediately fill critical vacancies at three major hospitals in the state.
Onn Hafiz said the state government had been raising the issue of staff shortages since 2023 and had no intention of compromising on matters involving the lives, health and welfare of Johoreans.
He also hit back at claims by certain quarters that the state government only knew how to urge the Health Ministry to act and that its efforts to address the shortage were merely a “show”.
“Such allegations are defamatory and need to be corrected,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Saturday (Aug 8).
Onn Hafiz said the state government had been forced to publicly raise the issue and demand that the ministry honour its earlier commitments because the matter had already been brought up through proper channels since 2023.
He added that last year, the Health Ministry had also met with Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and agreed to resolve the staffing issue.
“Among the commitments made was to immediately fill critical vacancies at Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA), Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) and Hospital Kulai, besides increasing manpower at Hospital Pasir Gudang,” he said.
However, Onn Hafiz said the staffing problems affecting Johor’s healthcare sector had yet to be resolved, prompting the state government to continue calling on the ministry to fulfil its pledge.
He added it was only logical for the state government to refer staffing shortages at Health Ministry hospitals to the ministry, just as teacher shortages were referred to the Education Ministry and shortages of immigration officers to the Home Ministry and Immigration Department.
Onn Hafiz said that he had also been informed that the Public Service Department (JPA) had given the Health Ministry the mandate to manage and distribute posts according to the needs of healthcare facilities.
While waiting for a solution from the ministry, he said the Johor government was not merely acting as an observer or pressure group, but was taking steps within its capacity to ease the burden on the healthcare system.
Among the measures were funding locum doctors at major hospitals, including HSA and HSI, to assist emergency departments in reducing waiting times and the workload of existing staff.
The state government had also established Southern Volunteers Healthcare, upgraded more than 460 pantry rooms at healthcare facilities statewide and introduced postal delivery of medicines as well as expanded facilities such as Locker4U to reduce the need for patients to visit hospitals solely to collect follow-up medication.
Other measures included providing additional ambulances and medical equipment to hospitals and healthcare facilities, implementing the Klinik Decanting initiative to move selected services to alternative locations, and working with the private sector, including KPJ Healthcare, to provide expertise and manpower.
“Clearly, the Johor government is not merely putting on a ‘show’ when it comes to the lives, health and welfare of Johoreans.
“As I have said, we are only demanding what was promised. That is why we are speaking up and urging those with the authority to carry out their responsibilities,” he said.
