PETALING JAYA: At least 200 doctors have left their service at hospitals in Sabah after securing permanent positions.
Data from the Sabah Health Department sighted by The Star revealed that at least 217 doctors had left their posts after receiving permanent positions.
The highest was in Hospital Queen Elizabeth (45), Sabah Women and Children Hospital (42), Hospital Duchess of Kent in Sandakan (31), and Hospital Tawau and Hospital Queen Elizabeth II (both 24).
This comes as Sabah and Sarawak are already grappling with a shortage of doctors, and on top of that there has reportedly been a high number of no-shows in these states.
In Sarawak, sources said, the issue is particularly serious in interior areas such as Limbang, Kapit and Lawas.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a doctor serving in the interior of Sarawak said the high no-show rate was usually due to doctors in the peninsula not wanting to serve in the state.
“Doctors from the peninsula tend to get worried when they are posted to the interior.
“Of course, the lifestyle can be quite different.
“But when you choose to be a government doctor – whether you’re serving in Kuala Lumpur or Limbang – it should be the same,” said the doctor.
Another senior doctor, meanwhile, suggested addressing the problem by prioritising Sabahans and Sarawakians for vacancies in their respective states.
In Sabah, some medical officers shared that they are overworked, tired and frustrated.
In the past, they said doctors had to be on call seven times a month. The frequency has since increased to 10 times or more.
One source said the situation varies for every hospital and district, but the common thread was that most doctors were overwhelmed and exhausted, with little choice but to soldier on due to staff shortages.
Another shared how doctors have to swallow their frustrations and still treat patients with respect.
Some doctors from Peninsular Malaysia who chose to reject placements in Sabah or Sarawak explained that uncertainty over career advancement opportunities and access to further studies – from postgraduate training to Master’s and specialist qualifications – was another reason.
Others said a lack of proper infrastructure, distance from basic amenities or urban centres when posted to rural or interior areas, unstable telecommunications and unreliable water and electricity supply also heavily influenced their decisions.
“There is not enough allowance and pay to sacrifice my comfort, especially with a family now.
“If I were single, I might take up the job just for experience’s sake,” said one.
The difficulty of securing well-maintained workers’ quarters, coupled with relatively high rents and the cost of living in Sabah compared with the peninsula, were also cited as factors.
