KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has responded to the survey in which medical workers described the country's healthcare system was in a crisis.

Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said it was committed in improving issues related to the welfare and mental health of medical workers, but admitted that resolving these and many other matters were an uphill task.

"We appreciate the views and feedback provided by health workers.

"The Health Ministry is committed to improve the current situation of the country's health system, especially issues that are related to welfare, physical and mental health of health workers, human resource systems, fair wage determination, job security and other issues.

"However, there are no easy solutions for these issues" she said in a thread on Twitter posted tonight.

She was responding to a survey conducted by health portal CodeBlue titled "Dissatisfaction Among Health Care Professionals and Workers In Malaysia's Health Services".

The survey outcome showed that up to 95 per cent of 1,652 healthcare workers, consisting of government doctors and nurses, felt that the country's public health system is in crisis, driving 73 per cent of them to consider quitting their jobs.

The survey said Selangor healthcare workers were the most dissatisfied with the nation's healthcare system at 25 per cent followed by Kuala Lumpur with 15 per cent, Sabah and Penang at nine per cent respectively and Perak at six per cent.

Dr Zaliha said the process of gathering feedback, complaints and to impose changes to current health care system required a cross-agency and targeted approach.

She said MoH was taking various comprehensive measures to problems ranging from basic issue to resolving matters related to technical aspects.

She said the MoH is devising measures to resolve the issues raised by members of the medical fraternity by taking a targeted approach to reform health system.

"This includes identifying short-term and long-term solutions that need to be prioritised in the current situation.

"We will hold a meeting with the Finance Ministry to present details on these concerns and the need for the ministry to be given a bigger allocations in the upcoming budget."

Dr Zaliha said the budget allocation must take into consideration the aspects of infrastructure, digitalization of systems and human resources.

" Periodic meetings with all stakeholders will also be held continuously to obtain feedback from those staff on the field.

These initiatives are part of the reforms and priorities that have been included in the Health White Paper, that would later be used as a benchmark for various health sector reforms, in future," she said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/02/875646/no-easy-solutions-issues-related-wage-welfare-and-mental-health-msian