PARLIAMENT | Between 2020 to 2024, the government spent about RM2.6 million on medical officers training to specialise in cardiothoracic surgery.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed to the Dewan Rakyat today that there are currently 23 medical officers training for that speciality.
“Seven of these officers are enrolled in masters of medicine programmes in universities and 16 are enrolled in the parallel pathway programme,” he said.
The minister added that 1,938 medical officers are currently training to specialise in family medicine, of which 390 are in master’s degree in medicine programmes and 1,548 are in parallel pathways.
He was responding to Howard Lee (Harapan-Ipoh Timor) who asked about the number of medical officers, especially those undergoing speciality training in cardiothoracic surgery and family medicine, who are currently in training, as well as the amount of government funds spent on scholarships and training infrastructure for this purpose.
Dzulkefly’s revelation comes amid a critical shortage of specialists, including cardiothoracic surgeons.
Last month, Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS) president Dr Basheer Ahamed Abd Kareem said there was a long waiting list for all seven cardiothoracic centres nationwide.
He claimed that Serdang Hospital in Selangor as well as Penang Hospital have over 1,000 patients on each of their waiting lists, with the waiting time for heavy surgery expected to exceed a year.
Basheer added that only 14 heart surgeons were working full-time at Health Ministry (MOH) centres - 11 permanent and three contract officers - with some scheduled to retire soon.
Lee previously called for a reinstatement of parallel pathway programmes to address specialist surgeon shortages.
“Currently, two pathways exist for recognition as a cardiothoracic surgeon.
“The first is a structured training programme offered by the MOH under the no longer available Parallel Pathway Programme, which involves training at designated hospitals followed by certification through internationally recognised bodies.
“This established pathway has been successfully utilised in Malaysia for years, ensuring qualified professionals and facilitating career opportunities worldwide.
“The second pathway involves recognition through local university postgraduate programmes,” he said in a statement.
Hindering nation’s healthcare
Lee added that there are concerns regarding the suspension or decommissioning of the Parallel Pathway Programme due to the interpretation of the Medical Act 1971.
“At a time when we confront a critical shortage of surgeons, any impediment hindering the development of our nation’s healthcare capabilities is deeply concerning.
“This situation directly impacts the well-being of our citizens, jeopardising the health of those most vulnerable,” he said. - Mkini
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