BALIK PULAU: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will discuss with the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) on master programmes in geriatric medicine to increase the number of specialists in the field as Malaysia is expected to become an ageing nation by 2043.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry lacks medical officers or graduate students interested in senior care but hopes to produce at least eight specialists per year.
According to him, only Universiti Malaya is offering a master’s programme in geriatric medicine, producing three to eight graduates annually.
“At public health facilities under MOH, we have 33 geriatric specialists, 13 in MOHE hospitals and 14 in private hospitals nationwide. So, it’s insufficient to cater to an ageing population.
“We will be very happy if we can get at least five (specialists) per year for MOH. We really need to do a marketing drive to get more people interested in it,“ he said, suggesting incentives to be provided to encourage more medical officers to pursue the programme.
He spoke to reporters after opening the new Air Putih Health Clinic here today.
Malaysia is becoming an ageing nation where 14 per cent of the population will consist of individuals aged 65 years and above.
In another development, Dzulkefly said the construction for the RM30 million Bandar Tasek Mutiara Health Clinic in the Seberang Perai Selatan district is underway, and construction for the RM54 million Mak Mandin Health Clinic and Integration Quarters in the Seberang Perai Utara district is expected to commence next year.
He said RM150 million has been allocated for the repair and upgrading of 400 dilapidated clinics nationwide, and out of the figure, RM4.5 million is set aside for 11 dilapidated clinics in Penang.
Earlier, he spent an hour at the Bayan Lepas Health Clinic to inspect the facilities provided at the clinic.
In April, the government approved an allocation of RM72 million for the upgrading of the Bayan Lepas Health Clinic.
