Malaysia’s Health Ministry announced its goal to provide permanent posts to all housemen immediately upon completing their training by 2028, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad [1, 2, 3]. The target was confirmed in a social media post on July 6, 2026, emphasizing a whole-of-government approach to the effort.
This plan is part of the ministry’s reform agenda led by the Inter-Ministerial Joint Task Force (IMJTF) to improve medical staffing and career paths [1, 2, 3]. To help achieve this, the ministry will absorb 4,500 contract medical officers into permanent roles in 2026 alone, with more than 18,000 vacancies across service schemes expected to be filled within the year [1, 2, 3].
Additionally, the ministry has approved 800 new medical positions annually to meet workforce demand [1, 2, 3]. Despite budget realignment, there is no recruitment freeze, reflecting continued commitment to health staffing needs [1, 2, 3].
Replacing medical specialists remains a complex challenge, according to the ministry. The Deputy Director-General of Health (Medical) has been tasked with overhauling the training and production of local medical specialists to address this issue [1, 2, 3]. The ministry aims to create a sustainable, world-class training ecosystem that includes local Master’s programmes and the Parallel Pathway for healthcare professionals [1, 2, 3].
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted the effort to create a system that "truly dignifies, especially, our young doctors," emphasizing the ministry’s goal to support medical professionals from the start of their careers [1].
The ministry’s actions this year are a critical step toward reaching the 2028 target of permanent posts for all housemen immediately after training, aiming for long-term improvements in medical workforce stability in Malaysia [1, 2, 3].
