JPA on Malaysia's push to ramp up healthcare workforce planning through talent deployment and specialist training

The department plans to strengthen candidate selection, training oversight, and the management of training reserve positions to improve on-time graduation rates and accelerate the availability of specialists in the public healthcare system.

Malaysia's Public Service Department (Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam, or JPA) has approved more than 66,000 new positions for the Ministry of Health (MOH) in recent years, but says the country's biggest healthcare workforce challenge is no longer creating jobs – it is ensuring medical talent is distributed effectively and specialist training is managed more efficiently.

In a statement issued on 17 July 2026 (Friday), JPA said it has approved 66,312 new positions for the ministry thus far, with a combined financial implication of RM6.7bn, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen public healthcare capacity and improve long-term service delivery.

The figure includes 53,516 new positions created between 2019 and 2025 to support new and upgraded healthcare facilities, as well as 12,796 permanent roles for medical officers, dental officers, and pharmacists approved between 2022 and 30 June 2026.

The department added that it is also reviewing an application, together with the Ministry of Finance, to create a further 13,000 positions to support operations at 256 new and upgraded health facilities.

Workforce distribution now the key challenge

Despite continued investment in headcount, JPA said workforce planning has entered a new phase.

According to the Malaysia Health Indicators 2025, the national ratio of medical officers to population has reached one doctor for every 403 people, meeting the country's 2026 target. However, significant disparities remain across states and territories.

For example, Putrajaya currently has a medical officer-to-population ratio of around 1:19, highlighting uneven workforce distribution despite national staffing targets being achieved.

The department said future efforts will therefore focus on optimising the deployment, placement, and utilisation of healthcare professionals to ensure hospitals and health facilities have the workforce they need.

Specialist training management under review

Alongside workforce distribution, JPA said it is strengthening governance around specialist training after identifying opportunities to improve how training reserve positions are managed.

An internal review found that medical officers who complete specialist training currently take between three and 12 months to be redeployed, delaying the release of training positions for new candidates.

The department also noted that only 46% of medical officers complete their specialist training within the prescribed timeframe, limiting opportunities for other doctors waiting to enter specialist programme. sAs a result, the department said it plans to strengthen candidate selection, training oversight, and the management of training reserve positions to improve on-time graduation rates and accelerate the availability of specialists across the public healthcare system.

It stressed that these measures are intended to expand – not restrict – access to specialist training by ensuring existing training capacity is used more efficiently.

The statement also addressed the implementation of MOH's 2026/2027 Advanced Specialist Training Programme. Of 672 applications received for 400 available training places, 307 medical officers initially met all eligibility requirements.

Following a request from MOH, JPA agreed to recognise performance evaluations completed during the Supervised Work Experience period in addition to the usual annual performance appraisal requirements.

The special consideration enabled 35 additional medical officers to qualify for the programme, increasing the total number of successful applicants to 342.

However, the department said a subsequent review found that the remaining applicants still did not meet the programme's general or specialist-specific eligibility criteria.

Looking ahead, JPA said it will continue working closely with MOH to strengthen workforce planning, specialist development, and governance, while ensuring public healthcare services remain sustainable as demand continues to grow.