Critical shortage of nurses in the country, says Minister

THE Ministry of Health (MOH) has admitted that the country is facing a critical shortage of nurses.

In view of this, Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, said MOH is taking steps to address it, including increasing the number of trainees.

He said that the issue of a shortage of nurses or human resources is now the main issue facing MOH compared to digitalisation, reported Berita Harian.

"The issue of the shortage of nurses is a reality that the Ministry of Health is continuously addressing.

"We have also taken various approaches, including increasing the number of trainees to 1,000, but it still cannot cover the shortage.

"MOH is having difficulty finding nurses because there are positions available, but no one wants them. Give MOH some time to address the issue of the shortage of nurses," he said.

He said this at a press conference after the Pasir Gudang Hospital project handover ceremony today.

Last February, a total of 6,919 health workers under MOH were reported to have resigned and moved to the private sector, between 2020 and last year. Dr Dzulkefly said this involved a total of 2,141 nurses.

Last year, the shortage of nurses was reported to be projected to be almost 60 percent by 2030.

Dr Dzulkefly was reported to have said that among the measures to address this included cooperation between the public and private sectors that could help overcome the shortage of nursing personnel in Malaysia needed to meet healthcare needs.

In the meantime, Dr Dzulkefly said that MOH is taking several approaches to ensure that the number of national nurses is increased immediately.

"This includes working with the private sector and there are interim or transit and transitional actions by hiring nurses from outside.

"However, what is most important is that we increase the morale and work ethic of this group of nurses.

"That is the most pressing issue, along with other issues involving salaries and rewards," he said. - June 29, 2025