Hilmi: Govt hospital doctors resigning for higher salaries in private sector

KEPALA BATAS: Higher salary at private hospital is among the reasons why government hospital doctors are resigning, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.
Hilmi said private hospitals also offer better packages and basic salaries by as much as 10 times than the government salary.
"Currently, specialist doctors in government hospitals are paid between RM4,000 to RM15,000 excluding allowances," he told reporters at Kepala Batas hospital yesterday.
Hilmi said in order to stop this "brain drain" the government had introduced several initiatives for the doctors to earn more.
He said the initiatives include full-pay patient schemes and also the introduction of Grade UD 56 for a higher basic pay.
"But we still face the same problem where some doctors opt to resign and join the private sector," he said.
Earlier, Hilmi accompanied Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and his consort Toh Puan Majimor Shariff during a visit to the hospital in conjunction with Abdul Rahman's birthday.
Also present were State Health, Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin, Penang Health Department director Datuk Dr M. Sukumar and also Pinang Tunggal assemblyman Datuk Roslan Saidin.
On expansion and upgrading of hospitals in Penang, Hilmy said the projects are currently on going.
He admitted that although there was some delay in several projects, the government is committed to fulfilling its promise in upgrading hospitals and clinics.
"Due to some financial constraints, the projects have slowed down a bit, but anyway we will do it," he said.
A total of RM1.4 billion allocation for health includes building and upgrading 78 hospitals and health clinics, such as construction of a multi-storey building for Seberang Jaya Hospital involving an allocation of RM400 million and an additional block for Penang Hospital (RM297 million) has also been approved.