IPOH: The permanent appointment of trained nurses is expected to fill approximately 14,000 vacancies across Malaysia, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He stated that discontinuing interim contract appointments for nurses starting this year is a key ministry effort to increase personnel at health facilities nationwide.
As of last August, Malaysia had 83,158 nursing posts with 69,158 filled, leaving a deficit of 14,000 positions.
The ministry has absorbed contract appointments into permanent positions to address this shortage.
Dzulkefly explained this move also aims to address the shortfall in the nurse-to-population ratio recommended by the World Health Organisation.
The WHO recommends at least six nurses per 1,000 people while Malaysia’s current ratio stands at 3.8 per 1,000.
Besides permanent appointments, the annual intake of trainee nurses has been increased from 1,000 to 3,000, representing a 200% increase.
The government has allocated RM25 million for this expanded training programme.
Dzulkefly projected that the Health Ministry Training Institute would produce 18,000 additional nurses by 2030.
A total of 6,316 health graduates have been produced this year through various advanced diploma and certificate programmes. – Bernama