KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called on the Health Ministry to deploy more doctors from Peninsular Malaysia to critically understaffed healthcare facilities across Sabah.
Sabah MMA chairman Dr Brandon Patrick Senagang said reports by CodeBlue highlighted the severe workload and inadequate rest faced by doctors in Ranau, some of whom had worked between 48 and 72 consecutive hours.
“Their dedication deserves recognition, but it must be matched with practical support and timely relief. We cannot allow extraordinary personal sacrifice to become the routine basis on which essential healthcare services operate,” he said in a statement.
He said 11 of Hospital Ranau’s 19 medical officers had been transferred out following the recent permanent appointment exercise.
Of the seven designated replacements from outside Sabah, only one had reported for duty, leaving the hospital operating with nine doctors, including its director.
The Sabah State Health Department also reported an estimated statewide shortfall of 245 medical officers following the exercise, with 67 per cent of replacement candidates from outside Sabah failing to report for duty.
Brandon said the state health department’s efforts to deploy three additional medical officers to Ranau in stages were constrained by similar shortages at other facilities across Sabah.
MMA Sabah called for an immediate, coordinated deployment programme from Peninsular Malaysia, with clear rotation periods, funded travel and accommodation, and adequate operational support.
“An immediate staffing response must run alongside the permanent recruitment exercise,” he said.
The association welcomed a special recruitment exercise to fill 750 permanent medical officer vacancies across Sabah and Sarawak, but said the proposed reporting date of Feb 15, 2027, was too far away to address immediate shortages.